Blind Remembrance of Love
by Sho-A0YCupid
Summary: After a unexpected event, Zoro is left temporary blind and lost of memory of the crew and himself. Luffy vowed to the swordsman that he will do all he can to help. But how do you bring one's memory back without having your own feelings getting in the way?
1. Chapter 1

I'm YGO Cupid. I usually do Yami/Atemu x Yugi fics, but then I got into 'One Piece' and well, I knew straight away that Zoro and Luffy seem like a great pair! This is my first ZoLu fic, so go easy on me. I suck at fighting scenes as you can see soon, but there won't be much of that (I hope).

Well… like any fic you've seen so far, enjoy and please review! Thank you.

Blind Remembrance of Love

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Chapter 1

The sky was clear as the sun shined brightly; for there was not a cloud in the big, light blue heavens. However, what was more beautiful than the sky was the ocean below. The ocean was as blue as it could be and, thanks to the light of the sun, it sparkled like the biggest of gems. Even in its calm, serene beauty, there lie mysterious wonders under its surface. The most common are the fishes of a variety of colors and even more of species. There are also corals that are living quarters for the smaller variety. But there are also the not so common, but not too rare fishmen, which some would mistaken as merpeople or human-like sea monsters. There are also Sea Kings, which are gigantic versions of the fish that could be known as water dragons (to the eyes of the young ones). However, there also lies danger within its depths more frighting than the Sea Kings. These creatures only come out at night, when the moon becomes black and the waters are completely still of any current moving. Be warned of that, for if you find yourself in that position, may the gods of the seas be merciful on you.

"What cha reading, Robin?" A young man's voice called out as the mentioned person looked up from the book.

"Hello Luffy." Said a woman of twenty-six with black hair that slightly went pass her shoulders, dark tan skin, and mysterious blue eyes that match with her mysterious atmosphere. "Just reading some passages from journals of sailors that were around the last century."

"So… It's an old book." Said the young man, Luffy. He was no older than seventeen with wind swept black hair with a straw hat that had a red band around it, has a small scar under his left eye, fair skin, a sleeveless red shirt vest and blue pants that were cut around the knee, and wore sandals. He looked thin, but was muscular in a lean way, and he sounded and acted younger then he is.

Robin laughed. "Yes, to put it simply."

"Hey Luffy!" Called another young man. "Chopper and I are playing hide and tag!" The young man was around Luffy's age with shoulder length curly, black hair that was covered with a cap with goggles. He had an unusual face with a long nose and thick lips. He was slightly tan himself and wore forest green overalls.

"Okay!" Luffy called as he headed to the slide and slid down to the grassy area. The sounds of water slightly hitting something can be heard and we see that they were on a ship. The ship called Thousand Sunny, Sunny Go for short. The lanky teen went up to the other young man and looked around for the other companion. "Where is Chopper, Usopp?"

The other, Usopp, looked around. "Huh? He was here a moment ago…"

Before they began their search, some… thing sneaked up and patted their legs.

"You're it!" Said a child-like voice.

Both looked down to see a small, chibi-like reindeer that was standing on two like a human.

The strange reindeer was wearing red shorts, a red top hat with a white 'X' in the center, and he had a blue nose.

"We haven't started Chopper…" Usopp said.

"Sorry…"

Usopp waved it off. "That's okay, that just makes Luffy it." After he said that, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Usopp's it!" Luffy said. "Run!" With that, he and Chopper ran in separate directions.

"I DIDN'T SAY START!!!" Usopp called, only to roll his eyes and went to find Chopper.

Robin, watching this, giggled as she looked to find another presence. "Why hello Franky, how are you?" She said to a man of thirty-two.

Franky was a burly-looking guy with long legs and a muscular upper body. His muscular arms had a tattoo of a blue star on each arm, and one of his hands was made of metal. His light blue hair that could rival Elvis's do, as it was combed upward towards the sky. His face was a usual macho look with the sunglasses on, with the exception of his metal nose. He was wearing a bright island shirt that was left open and… uh… a black speed-o.

"I'm doing super!" He said as he did a pose. "This is one of my super weeks!"

Robin just smiled and nodded. "I see…"

Then the door opened to reveal a young woman, no older than Luffy, with tangerine orange hair that was a little above shoulder height and brown eyes. She was wearing a tight white shirt that showed her belly and very, very short shorts. She was holding a map and looked at a strange watch device with a needle pointing at a certain direction.

"Hey Nami!" Franky said.

The mentioned girl looked up and smiled. "Hey." She simply said as she looked at her map and at the watch again. "Franky, turn the ship slightly to the left." She said.

"Okay!" Franky said as he walked to the steering.

"How are we, Miss Navigator?" Robin asked.

Nami looked at the older woman and smiled. "Right on course!" She said as she looked up at the sky. "And the weather is perfect! Even for the Grand Line!"

As a nice, warm breeze came through, the sounds of shoes tapping could be heard.

"Nami-swan! Robin-swan!" Called a young man, but a bit older than Luffy and Usopp, with a tray of two glassed drinks. "I made my own special iced tea!" The man had sunshine blonde hair that covered his left eye while his other eye showed an interesting curl of his eyebrow.

"That sounds really good right now." Robin said as the man literally ballet his way to the two females.

Nami took a glass and had a small sip for tasting. She looked at the man and smiled. "Refreshing as always, Sanji-kun." She said that last part, making the man swoon and see hearts.

Robin took a sip as well and smiled. "Indeed, it's very well made. Thank you, Sanji."

The man, Sanji, was practically floating and being overwhelmed at the same time. "Why of course! Only beautiful ladies such as yourselves should only deserve the best!"

The two women were used to his antics and smiled as well as giggled. Then another laugh joined in.

"You better start making lunch." Franky said. "You know how the Captain is when it comes to meals."

Sanji sighed as he took a cigarette out and light it. "Yeah, I know…" He said as he walked to the kitchen.

Not long as he started to prepare the ingredients, the door opened to reveal Usopp.

"Oi! Sanji! Have you seen Luffy or Chopper around?" The young man asked.

Sanji shook his head. "Nope, can't say I have."

Usopp sighed. "Thanks for your help." He said as he closed the door. He crossed his arms and 'humphed'. "Where can those two be!?" He said to himself as he marched into the ship and checked all but the girl's quarters. He finally managed to find Chopper among the dirtied laundry.

"I thought you'd never find me!" Chopper whined.

Usopp smirked. "Well I did! And do you know why?"

The reindeer's disappointment changed to that of curiosity. "Why?"

Usopp puffed out his chest and raised his chin, to appear great. "Because I'm known to be the greatest detective around!"

"Really!?" Chopper said as his eyes became wide with wonder.

Before Usopp could continue to go along with his tale, Sanji called out that lunch was ready. Once that was called out, the two young pirates heard a faint call saying 'meat'.

"That's Luffy…" Both said in unison.

Up in the kitchen, Luffy burst through the door and leaped to his seating spot. "Food! Sanji! Food!"

The pirate chef sighed. "Wait until everyone else gets here!" He said as he grabbed a wooden spoon he was using and harshly smacked the approaching hand from touching the food.

"OW!" Luffy cried out as he retracted his hand and rubbed it. "Why'd you do that for!?"

Sanji gave him a glare as Usopp and Chopper entered, along with Franky, Nami, and Robin.

"What's the commotion now?" Nami said as she sat down.

"Just Luffy being grabby with food." Sanji bluntly responded as he whacked the other hand. "Dammit Luffy! Stop doing that!"

"Fine!" Luffy called as he rubbed his other hand.

Sanji sighed as he saw someone missing. "Seems like that stupid Marimo-head won't be joining us… again!" He said. That seemed to grab the young captain's attention as he looked at the empty spot. "Oh well, we don't need to wait for him!" Sanji added as he served the girl's meals first, which was a sandwich that looked like it came out from an Italian bistro.

Luffy got up and started to walk out of the kitchen.

"Oi! Where do you think you're going?"

The young man looked at the chef and pointed to the door. "Looking for Zoro." He said like it's the simplest thing in the world.

"Your food is going to be cold."

"That's alright!" He waved off as he headed out. "Don't wait up!" He called as he closed the door.

Everyone was shocked into silence.

"Okay! That's just strange!" Usopp said as he pointed to the door. "Since when has Luffy walked out on a meal?"

"That is weird…" Sanji said as he walked to get the other plates, only to find the sandwiches he made for the guys of the group, including his, were gone. "When did he…?" He was completely shocked.

"HUH!?" The guys said as Sanji became pissed.

"Luffy…" He said as a vein popped from his forehead. "**YOU DAMN SNEAK!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!**"

As the chef shouted, Robin blinked at the empty plates and hid her smile behind her cup.

While outside Luffy was running to the back of the ship. "I'm going to thank Robin for helping me out!" He said with a laugh. "Now to find Zoro…" He stopped running, cupped his ears, and waited for five seconds when he caught a sound of snoring. He grinned widely as he quickly headed to where the sound was. When he found the source, he giggled as seeing the other sprawled out with his three swords nearby.

Zoro was a bit older than Luffy with muscles that showed that he was in some serious training along with a long scar near the left of the shoulder diagonally to he lower right side. He had pale skin, but it was slightly darker than Luffy's due to sun exposure. What stood out was his unusual short, green hair.

Luffy muffled his giggle and took a couple steps back before running and jumping and landed on Zoro's lap, which was an abrupt wakening on the other's part.

"Luffy!" Zoro called as he glared at the other. "What the hell!?"

The young captain just smiled and held up two sandwiches. "You missed lunch, so I brought you food! Thanks to Robin who helped me sneak them pass Sanji."

The older of the two blinked before he shrugged and grabbed the offered sandwiches. "Looks like you owe her."

"Yep!" Luffy said as he ate his sandwich.

"You do realize that stupid love cook would kick you out when dinner comes around, right?" He looked over and, just like he expected, the other's expression was in complete horror. "Still want to eat these sandwiches?" The young captain then took on a thoughtful expression. He grinned and shook his head, causing the three dangling earrings to move back and forth. 'Why did I follow a guy like him?' He thought, already knowing the answer.

"Well…" The other started. "I could… But then Sanji would really be pissed if I just bring the sandwiches back, all ruined and cold… And I would have to do those chores." He stuck out his tongue. "Nah! I'll miss dinner just this once."

The older raised an eyebrow as he finished his first sandwich. He knew it won't last long, so he secretly hid the second sandwich and resumed his nap.

"Zoro…"

"Hmm…?"

"Have you ever forgotten anything important, but can't put your finger on it?"

The older opened his eyes and looked over to see the other, also on his back and looking at the sky. "Not really… Why do you ask? You have that feeling?" He could see the other shake his head.

"No… It's just a topic… that just occurred to me…"

Zoro blinked. He had witnessed many of the young captain's serious conversations, some of them left him a little uneasy because of how serious it was. But this looks like one of those light, random conversations. "If you thought of it and it bothers you, than talk about it." He turned his green eyes back at the sky as he waited for a response.

"Well…" The younger of the two started. "I guess I'm afraid that I would forget something and always have that feeling that I should know what it is I'm missing or left behind… You know?"

The other thought about it and nodded. "Yeah… It would be a bit unsettling to have that kind of feeling."

There was silence for a moment before the other spoke.

"You know what's worse?"

"Hmm? What?"

"Completely forgetting who you are and what you accomplished."

The older could definitely detect the fear in the other's tone. "And you're afraid you would lose sight of your goals then?" He asked, since he couldn't think up a topic to change, and this topic went from light to deep.

"That… and…" He paused.

"What?"

"You…"

The older quickly looked at the other.

"You… and Nami… and Usopp… and Sanji… and Chopper… and Robin… and Franky… Everyone including Merry Go and Thousand Sunny… Everything we've been through…"

The other was a little taken back by this sudden deep fear.

"That…" The other continued. "If something like that happened… I would rather die!"

That was it!

"Luffy!" He sat up and looked at the other clearly. "Stop saying such crap about dying!" He said as he pointed to the other. "So far, non of us has a memory problems or any self loss!" He put his hand down back to his side. "Besides, if you try to kill yourself, or some stupid crap like that…" He death glared at the other. "I'll never forgive you!"

This is what he hated this type of serious conversation, it always makes him worry more about his captain.

The young captain stared at him for a moment before sitting up as well and smiled a rare smile, that wasn't goofy or sad. "Thanks Zoro."

Zoro sighed and placed the captain's treasured hat back on the other's head. "Anytime…"

"You wouldn't forget… would you?"

He sighed, knowing his captain, with his simple mind, needs some kind of reassurance. "Let's put it this way: If anyone of us do forget, we'll do everything we could do to help out." He patted the other's head. "Who would forget you anyway?"

Luffy giggled and nodded. "Sounds good to me!" He said, almost sounding like his old self. "You wouldn't give up on any of us, right? If one of us loses our memory?"

The other raised an eyebrow before pushing the hat down, in a rare, playful way, over the younger teen's eyes. "Only if you don't give up." He said with a grin as the other giggled and swapped his hand off.

"Okay!" The other said, now back to his old self as he adjusted his hat.

Zoro shook his head as he laid back on the ship. He heard the other doing the same with a 'thump'.

"I feel so tired!"

'_I can't imagine.'_ The older thought as he started to fell a little drowsy.

With the rocking of the ship and the warm breeze coming and going, the swordsman and the young captain were deep asleep.

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And there you have it! My first ZoLu fic with more to come. I hoped you liked it and review please! 


	2. Chapter 2

Hello everyone, YGO Cupid again. Well… I hoped you liked the first chapter. Well… Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 2 

Later that evening, the sun just started to set over the horizon, leaving the sky with colors of orange, pink, and dark blue. For a moment, the ship was quiet.

"But Sanji!"

"NO LUFFY!!" Sanji called as he faced the young captain, who tried to enter the kitchen. "You stole your nakama's lunch, so as punishment you can't have dinner!" He blocked yet another entry. "And that goes the same for that stupid Marimo-head!"

"That's not fair Sanji!" Luffy whined. "Zoro didn't do anything!"

"You brought sandwiches to him! What makes you think I'll let him in and return the favor!?"

"You're stupid!"

"Not as stupid as you!" Sanji said as he managed to put a kick in and sent the young man away from the door. "Don't even think of coming back! Or you'll miss breakfast as well!" With that, he slammed the door.

"Don't you think that's taking it a little too far?" Usopp asked.

"That kid needs to know the consequences of his actions." The chef said as he lit a cigarette.

"But… Sanji…" Chopper started. "He did that because you wouldn't bother finding Zoro and give lunch to him."

"For the fifth time this week." Franky pointed out.

"That doesn't give him the right to steal everyone else's lunches to that bastard! And why would I waste my time finding that guy? Do I look like I'm his butler or something?"

Nami sighed as she leaned back in her seat. "I'm surprised that he hasn't tried to bust through the food storage." She said.

Sanji exhaled, causing smoke to come out. "What difference does it make if he takes food from plates or from the storage room? If it's food, he can't handle himself." He then grinned. "And the only person that could go near that guys' craving is me! Because…" He held out a small, silver looking key. "I hold the key to that room!"

Everyone sighed and continued to eat, which looks like some kind of meat.

While outside, after being kicked by Sanji, Luffy was on the grass area of the ship and pouted.

"Stupid Sanji." He mumbled when he looked up and saw the crow's nest. He smiled as he stood up and called out. "Gomu Gomu no Rocket!" He shot up his arms and they stretched until he grabbed hold of the crow's nest, which brought attention to the occupant. When he got to the crow's nest, he saw Zoro, who didn't seem to be alarmed by his presence.

"That shitty love cook kicked you out like we thought."

"Yeah…" Luffy said as he sat down on in the crow's nest. "I'm so hungry!" He whined.

"Here." Zoro threw the wrapped sandwich to the young captain. "It's not much, but you wouldn't miss a meal." He said as he lifted a telescope and looked around the vast area.

"Wow! Thanks Zoro!" The other said, as he was about to take a bite when he remembered something. "But-"

The older of the two knew what the other would say something. "I can miss a few meals." He looked at the young captain. "Don't worry about it and eat, or I'll force it down and throw you off the crow's nest." He resumed to being look out.

The young captain, though well known to eat a lot and hating to miss a meal… Hell! He even eats in his sleep! But this situation didn't sit right with him. But he figured he would make it to the other by not stealing the swordsman's breakfast, and ate his sandwich.

After finishing dinner, everyone headed out to find Luffy, only for the said person to call from the crow's nest, and they resumed to what they were doing.

"This evening is unusually warm." Robin pointed out.

Nami nodded. "Yeah… It's nice and all… but I hope we don't end up in a storm." She sighed. "I hate that kind of weather, when it just suddenly happens without any signs!"

"Oh! You worry to much!" Franky called. "Thousand Sunny can handle any kind of storm that's thrown at her!" He laughed pridefully.

Nami sighed again. "Well… I don't see any signs of anything threatening…"

Meanwhile, Sanji comes out with a tray with tea for the ladies and Usopp and Chopper were on the grass area, with the young man telling stories to the reindeer.

Back on the crow's nest, Zoro rubbed his eyes, to give them moisture, and looked at Luffy. "You okay Luffy?"

The mentioned captain looked up at the other and smiled his trademark smile. "Yeah! I'm fine!"

The older raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Sure you don't want to head down and play with Usopp and Chopper?"

"Yeah! Usopp's just telling stories right now." He said, but then felt the wanting of doing something. "Can I look at the telescope?"

The other, wanting to give his eyes a break, handed the telescope to the other. "Don't drop it, okay?"

"Okay!" The young captain said cheerfully as he grabbed the telescope and looked around the area.

The other shook his head and leaned on the railing of the crow's nest. He watched the young man as the other looked every which way with the telescope.

Luffy looked out in the horizon, but didn't see anything interesting so he looked at various parts of the ship he could see, including his nakama. He chuckled on how Usopp was acting out on his story telling and Chopper's enthusiasm. He frowned when he saw Sanji, being love struck to the two women as usual. "Stupid Sanji…" He said, causing the other to smile unknowingly. He then looked up and saw stars, stars, and more stars. He lowered the telescope to see that there was no moon in sight.

"Hey Zoro! The moon's gone!"

The mentioned swordsman raised an eyebrow and looked up at the sky. "Huh… Must be the New Moon."

"New Moon?" Luffy questioned. "Why do we need a new moon when we have one already."

The other wasn't sure to laugh or being dumbstruck at this. "No, Luffy, it's the time period when we see the moon's shadow. Therefore we can't see the moon for a couple of nights."

"Oh!" The other said as he looked at the sky. "So the moon has a shadow huh? That's news to me!"

'Where have you been?' The other thought as the young captain became excited.

"Zoro! Zoro! A shooting star!" The young man pointed to the starlit sky.

The other looked and sure enough, he caught a glimpse of a star streaking through the sky for only a moment. "Hmm…" Was his only response as the other looked thoughtful. "Making a wish?"

Luffy nodded in response.

'Probably for more meat.' Zoro thought as he looked up at the night sky to see another shooting star. He looked at the other and had a look that was almost indescribable in words completely. He was staring at the young man, while also looking like he wanted to say something, but couldn't.

"Did you make a wish Zoro?" The other asked with a wide smile on his face.

"Kinda…" Was the swordsman's response.

The straw-hat captain didn't press on it, since wishes are supposed to be personal. "Nice night, huh?" He asked.

The other nodded. "A bit unusual, but it's okay."

The other chuckled. "Yeah… I wonder if we're heading to a summer island then, that would explain a lot!"

The swordsman slightly chuckled. "Maybe… we'll see when we get there."

"Yep!"

Then all of a sudden, the breeze seemed to have died and the current seemed non-existence.

Nami, being the navigator, noticed the unusual change. "Something's wrong!" She announced as she looked up. "Zoro! Luffy! Do you see anything!?"

Zoro grabbed the telescope from Luffy and looked around the surrounding. "I don't see anything!" He called and added. "Are we on Calm Belt?"

"That's impossible!" Nami called back as she looked at her map. "We're no where near that part of the sea!"

Robin was concerned when she remembered something from earlier.

'However, there also lies danger within its depths more freighting than the Sea Kings. These creatures only come out at night, when the moon becomes black and the waters are completely still of any current moving.'

"Nami! We have to get out of here!"

Before any action was made, the ship stared to rock violently, followed by an inhuman sound that almost sounded like a dying rooster with something else.

Zoro held Luffy against him as they braced themselves of the rocking of the ship.

"What the fuck is going on!?" Franky called as he tried to keep the ship steady.

"I don't know!" Nami said as she looked at Robin. "What's going on Robin!?"

The mentioned woman looked at the young woman. "I was reading a passage earlier about something like this! We're being attacked by something much worse than the Sea Kings!"

"HUH?!" Everyone said as the ship continued to rock.

"Sea King or not!" Franky said. "I'm not going to let this ship tip!" He turned on the blaster and managed to balance the ship, but it didn't completely out run the creature.

Zoro and Luffy looked at what was following them. They saw red, glowing eyes and raised to the surface with its screech.

"What the hell is that!?" Luffy called out as the ship skid to a halt.

"Why'd you stop!?" Sanji called to Franky.

"That thing's tail or something is blocking the way! And is surrounding us!"

Dark mounds raised above the surface, creating a barrier around the ship.

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!"

Hoped you enjoyed and R&R please!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone again. Well… not much to say to start this off, so… Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Thousand Sunny and the Strawhat Crew looked at the creature with red glowing eyes and a huge body that was able to barricade them from escaping.

"**WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!**" Usopp cried.

"DIE!" Chopper cried as well.

"What the hell is that thing?!" Sanji said, slightly freaked, seeing the creature was as big as the largest Sea King.

"It's a type of fish, right?!" Nami asked Robin.

"I'm not sure…" Robin admitted. "But if it lived in the depths of the ocean, then it should be a fish if it could survive in water."

Luffy and Zoro looked at the creature.

"If it's from the water, its food." Luffy said as he rolled his shoulders.

Zoro smirked as he tied a black bandana around his head. "Like it sliced or diced?" He joked.

The young captain smiled a smile that screamed of 'come-and-try-to-get-me'. "Does it really matter?"

The older teen chuckled as he grabbed his two swords and placed the third in his mouth between his teeth. "Going to be like that, huh?"

"How else?" The captain said as the creature seemed to be closing in to strike the ship in half. "Gomu Gomu no…!" He started to call when his first mate held onto him for the attacking strike. "Rocket!" He shot out his arms and both of them waited until the young boy got a hold of one of the nostrils of the creature, making it pause its previous action, and both shot towards it. "It's a bit slick!" He informed as he had to dig his fingernails into the inner nostrils to keep hold of the grip.

"Just hang on!" Zoro said as he positioned for an attack. "Oni…! Giri!" He called out as hard to see slashes, almost as fast as the speed of sound, only to look confused. "What the-!?" He said as he saw that the creature showed no signs of pain as they headed to the forehead of the creature.

When they did land on the creature, just like Luffy mentioned, the creature's skin was very slick and both nearly slipped off the creature's head.

The swordsman managed to use one of his swords to pin onto the monster's skin to keep him from falling further. "Luffy!" He called, only to see two rubbery arms around him and felt an impact a moment later.

"That was close!" The young captain said as he took a deep breath and laughed, causing the first mate to sigh. "Sanji!!" He called towards the ship. "This thing's skin is slippery! Almost like a snail's ooze!"

"What do you want me to do about it?!" The pirate chef called back. "You and that stupid Marimo-head are doing a fantastic job!"

"**GO TO HELL!!**" Zoro called as he seemed to develop fangs. He tried to slash the creature with his one sword in his hand, but it seems that the creature's head was too slick for a sword to even penetrate. 'What the hell?!'

"Don't you have something so that we won't slip off this thing!" Luffy called.

"How should I know!" Sanji responded. "I'm no expert on live fish unless I'm cooking it!"

Nami, slightly hysterical about being killed, grabbed the cook by the collar and yelled. "YOU BETTER THINK UP A WAY TO KILL THAT THING, OR I WOULD NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"

Sanji, not wanting to disappoint a lady, went right to work for finding 'anything' to make the monster not so slippery.

Zoro growled in frustration about the creature, which still showed no signs of pain, in fact he's starting to think that the thing isn't doing anything about it just to piss him off! He looked at Luffy, who had a good grip on him so he wouldn't fall. "Luffy! Head back to the ship!" He said.

"Huh? Why?!" Luffy whined.

"If something happens, I probably won't be able to save you! You're far too important to have anything happen to you at this point!"

Luffy looked at his first mate in mild shock. "Zoro…"

"Please! Just head back to the ship! I'll deal with this thing!"

The young captain never backed down from a fight, but he also knows not to be involved in other fights that are not his to begin with. "Don't fall!" Was all he could say when he stretched his arm back to the crow's nest.

"Not planning to!" The older teen called as his captain went back.

Nami looked for Chopper, who unfortunately is passed out. 'Dammit!' She thought. 'His scope would be useful at this point! If only he had footing…' That's when a light bulb turned on in her head. "Robin! Do you think you could give Zoro a footing long enough till Sanji gets here?"

Robin nodded as she crossed her arms with her hands out and palms up. "Cien Flux!" She called out.

Zoro knew he wasn't getting anywhere with just trying to slice the damn fish-monster open. He felt something under his feet and saw hands appear. He grinned as he managed to get his other sword out. "Thanks Robin!" He called as he tried to do some three-sword style combos.

Sanji came out with a sack filled with salt. "Will salt do?"

"That's all you can think of!?" Nami said as she seemed to grow fangs as well.

"Luffy said that the shitty thing is slippery like a sail, so I thought if that's so then we would put salt on the skin and give the shitty swordsman some footing." The love-cook reasoned.

"Sounds like a sound plan…" Nami said calmly before shouting. "But it lives in the ocean! Salty water!"

"Then the stupid swordsman better make a good size cut so that we could put salt on and it could shrivel up."

Nami thought that plan was somewhat reasonable enough and shouted. "Zoro! You have to get a good cut to that thing!"

"Would you shut up and let me do this!" Zoro shouted when the creature moved as if to dive, and looks as though it was going to take the ship with it.

"Certain Death: Blinding Flare!" Usopp called as he used his huge sling-shot and a pellet exploded, causing the monster to move away.

"Usopp! You saved us!" Franky said as he tried to maintain the ship's balance.

"Yeah…" Usopp said, slightly shaking.

While the monster moved its head, the swordsman had an idea and leaped and put two tips of his swords together, as he came down, and harshly thrusted the combined swords to the side to the monsters forehead, which cause some of the creature's skin to finally break! 'Finally!'

The creature must've felt it, for it started to shake its head and its motions caused the ship to rock violently about.

Nami screamed as well as the two young members of the crew. Franky, who was about to finish a cannon to shoot the salt onto the monster, went back to the wheel and tried to control the ship. Sanji, who dropped the sack of salt, went over to Nami and Robin, who lost concentration, and said something that was anything but reassuring. Luffy, seeing the salt sack, stretched his arm to grab it and waited to see where Zoro was. When he did, he took a chance and shot over. "Zoro!" He called, gaining the other's attention.

"Dammit Luffy!" Zoro said as he reached out a hang to grab to Luffy's as he came. "I told you to stay on the ship!"

Luffy just laughed as he arrived with the first mate's help, nearly slipping again and dropped the sack, which opened on top of the wound. "Uh oh…"

"What do you mean 'uh oh'!" Zoro called out.

The monster wailed a frightful, inhuman cry as it shook and wiggled in pain.

Zoro held onto the young captain last to him as he quickly sheathed his two swords: one from his hand and the other from his mouth, and braced with the monster's rampage.

The creature, wanting to get the object of its pain off its head, straightened itself before doing a nose dive towards the water.

"**HOLD ON!**" Zoro called as Luffy yelled and held onto the swordsman as they crashed into the water.

"Luffy! Zoro!" Nami called as she and the others were on the side of the ship, waiting and watching for any sign.

Then they saw bubbles surface, followed by Zoro and Luffy.

"Zoro!" Robin called. "Luffy! Are you both okay?!"

Zoro coughed some water before answering. "Yeah! Just peachy!"

The older woman seemed to relax a little.

"Someone get Luffy!" The swordsman said as he swam to the side of the ship, which hands started to appear. He handed the young captain to the hands, which brought him up, and started to swim out to open waters a little ways.

"Where'd you think you're going Zoro?!" Usopp asked.

"That thing has my sword!" The first mate said.

"You stupid or something!?" Sanji called.

"Shut up crap cook!"

"What was that!?" If it wasn't for Franky and Usopp, Sanji would've jumped and try to beat the swordsman up.

"Sanji has a point!" Nami yelled. "We could get another sword!"

"This one happens to be important to me!"

"More important than your life!? That's stupid!" The chef yelled.

The swordsman glared when Luffy came to the side of the ship.

"Luffy!" Nami said. "Tell Zoro that this is stupid and get him back on the ship so we can get out of here!"

Luffy crossed his arms and, for a moment, looked older. "Zoro…" He said, making everyone wait in anticipation. "Come back alive, okay!? Captain's orders!"

"NANI!?!" The crew on the ship were dumbstrucked while the first mate grinned.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" He said as he dived.

Luffy smiled and readjusted his hat, before being hit by Nami.

"LUFFY! DID YOU NOT SEE THAT THING!? HE'S GOING TO GET KILLED!!" She screamed as she shook the rubber man the entire time.

"But Nami!" Luffy said. "Zoro's not going to die!"

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW!?"

"I just know." He said simply as he received a few rounds of beatings from the hot-headed navigator.

"You're so stupid Luffy!" She said as she stomped off, leaving the disordered captain.

Franky looked from the navigator to the captain. "So… what should we do?"

"We wait for Zoro." Luffy said as he dusted himself off.

"Uh… Luffy Are you sure about that I mean…" Franky continued when Sanji cut in.

"His sense of direction is as great as your ability to swim."

Luffy looked at the two. "But I don't swim, you guys should know that."

Everyone sighed.

"That's our point." Usopp said. "How are we supposed to wait for him if he gets lost himself?"

Luffy took on a thoughtful expression. "We'll wait for a signal then."

"AND WHAT'S THAT!" The guys, including Nami, called out.

"What's what?"

"THE SIGNAL!!"

The young captain shrugged. "I don't know." He said as if it's not a big deal.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!?"

The young captain ignored them and watched out the sea. "We won't move until something happens, and that's final!"

Everyone looked at their captain solemnly until Sanji broke the silence.

"Fine! We'll wait for the stupid Marimo!" He said as he walked to one part of the ship and sat down, lighting a cigarette.

Everyone else was doing the same, wondering what will happen while they were waiting.

Robin watched the young man of a captain, and she saw how much his hands fumbled and how his eyes were focused on the sea. She had a theory, but decided to test it at a more decent time.

Hope you enjoyed the new chapter and please R&R, you have no idea how much your opinion is to us fanfic writers (unless you're one yourself)


	4. Chapter 4

I'm bored, so I'm just going to work on this, okay?

Chapter 4

After Luffy gave the 'order', Zoro set out to find the damned creature of the depths. 'Damn!' He thought. 'Its pitch black here!' He continued to swim when he heard a low rumble from his left. 'That better be it!' He swam towards the sound, only to be heard it from behind him…and closing. He spun around and saw the red eyes. 'Found you!' He took out one of his two swords and quickly swam up.

His eyes adjusted to the dark now, so he was able to make out some of the creature. HE has no idea if he got the neck, side, or tail, all he knows that his sword went in and he took out his other sword and stabbed again. 'Why is it easier to make a wound on this damn thing now then when I was attacking its head?' He thought, but decided to worry about it later as he used his swords to 'climb' on the creature without slipping, but then the need of air was crushing on his focus. 'Damn! I need air!' He quicken his pace and hopefully find the head. He then saw red eyes up ahead. 'Like a beacon.' He went up to the eye on the right side and stabbed it.

The creature let out a wail and went up to the surface.

Once the creature went up to the surface, Zoro took a couple gasps of air and saw his sword, just sticking out there like a sore thumb on the creature's forehead. "There you are!" He said as he went over and quickly grabbed it. He quickly looked around to see if he could find the ship, and saw that it was about three miles out, and hopped off the creature and started to swim over.

The creature stopped and it seemed to contemplate how it was treated. It turned its good eye to the swordsman and saw him as an enemy and its prey. It let out an inhuman cry and charged towards the man.

Zoro heard the cry and looked back to see the creature closing in on him. "Oh shit!" He called out as he managed to get one sword out before the creature attempted to swallow him.

He jabbed at the roof of the creature's mouth. "You're not eating me alive! You damned thing!" He said. "I still have a goal to fulfill!" The sliced a gash on the inner check. "And I still have to tell Luffy something important!" As he was about to get out of the creature's mouth, something from the back of the creature's throat covered him, and all he knew that his eyes started to sting. He used a two sword technique to bust through the mouth and back to open water.

'Shit!' He thought as his eyes were giving him grief. 'I have to get to Chopper!' He tried to open his eyes, but that only made it worst. "Fuck!"

Unfortunately, having a hard time of seeing was the least of his problems when the creature started a nose dive towards the swordsman.

"Over there!" Chopper, now regained conscious, said as he pointed to the creature.

Usopp saw it as well as well as Zoro. "What is the idiot doing? He has to get out of there!"

"Zoro!" Luffy called out as Usopp prepared a cannon.

Zoro heard the others and looked through closed, painful eyes and strained his hearing. "Guys! I can't see! Where are you?!"

"The thing's above you!" Nami called as Usopp fired the cannon.

The creature was hit dead on the wounded gash on its forehead, but it continued to dive until both it and the swordsman went down into the water.

"**ZORO!!**" Luffy cried out as he was about to jump out to the ocean.

"Luffy!" Robin called as she used her DF ability to restrain the rubber boy.

"**ZORO! YOU BETTER NOT DIE ON ME!!**" Luffy cried out as he fought through the restraints of the hands.

Meanwhile, Zoro didn't have to guess that the creature was trying to drown him. Even though he couldn't see, he got one of his swords and managed to turn so that he was facing the monster and stabbed it.

The creature quickly rear its head upward out of the water and let out a screech of pain, before falling backward back into the water.

'If I could only open my eyes!' The swordsman thought as he held onto his sword that was still lodged into the monster's nose. 'If this thing won't leave, them I might as well put it out for good!' He unlodged the sword and crawled until he was on top of the nose.

Due to the speed the creature was going, he was able to lightly lodge his sword onto the monster again and just slide down along the head, causing a huge cut along the monster's head, going deeper and deeper until only one inch of the katana blade was showing.

The creature went up, but this time they were in a cave, and when stone and sword collided, the blade acted like a nail and went through the bone. But the strength of the monster made it go through the ceiling of the cave and back out into the open water.

Zoro was hit about five times by rocks, but as he and the dead creature were going down, a huge rock hit the back of the head, like a bullet, and was knocked unconscious.

"Over there guys!" Usopp called as everyone saw the creature burst through a small mounts of rock and just laid there, not moving nor breathing.

The ship's jets died immediately so the ship wouldn't impact the dead creature and slowed to a halt. Everyone went to the side of the ship and saw the damage.

Nami gasped at the sight, Sanji looked shocked, Franky's mouth was open wide of shock, Robin stood and stared at what everyone was looking, Usopp and Chopper had their mouths open and eyes bugging out. Luffy, however, has his face shadowed over thanks to his hat.

"Chopper! Get the hospital ready." The captain said.

The reindeer nodded and ran to the door, leading inside the ship.

"All hands ready!" Luffy started to order. "Usopp, Nami, get the stretcher and bring it out here. Hurry!" The mentioned two didn't wait around to hear the order the second time. He stretched over to where his first mate was without any protest from the rest of the crew.

Once he got there, and almost slipped, he made his way over to the unconscious form and managed to, after a few struggles, unlodged the sword from the monster's skull and put it in its sheath. Once that was done he balanced the other on his back and saw two hands coming out from the monster's head where his feet were and saw a plank next as the two hands grabbed hold.

He looked up to see the other two: Franky and Sanji, holding the other end of the plank. He carefully walked the plank without dropping his first mate.

Once he was on board, Nami and Usopp brought out the hand-handled stretcher as Franky placed Zoro on it and he and Sanji carried the swordsman to Chopper's hospital room. He just stood there as Nami approached.

"Luffy… are you-"

"I'm taking watch." The young captain cut in. "Tell Franky to get the hell out of here and inform me of Zoro's condition."

"O-Okay…" Nami said as the straw-hat boy stretched to the crow's nest.

Robin came up and placed a hand on Nami's shoulder. "Is everything okay? Nami-san?"

The young girl nook her head. "I don't know. I've… I've haven't seen him like that in a while…"

Robin understood and gave the girl a hug to comfort her. "Don't worry, once Doctor-san says Zoro is going to be fine, he'll be back to his old self."

"I hope so." The young girl said as Franky and Sanji walked out from inside the ship.

"Let's get out of here." Franky said as he headed to the wheel.

Sanji came up to Nami and rubbed her shoulder. "Don't worry Nami-chan, that idiot is too damn strong and stubborn to die. And Luffy is going to be okay to!"

The young girl nodded as she excused herself to her room. 'What a night.' She thought as she couldn't get the look from Luffy out of her mind.

Luffy in the meantime watched the darkness, not caring if he got cold or not. "Zoro…" He whispered as he tried to fight the tears. "I'm sorry…"

Sorry it was sad and sappy, or just plain bad but please R&R.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello everyone! Wow! I didn't know I would be getting reviews after typing up the fourth chapter! Thanks for the reviews! And alerts! … My fic can't be that good… is it? Oh well! It's something new here… so… yeah…. Enjoy!

Chapter 5 

The next day was quiet as Sanji prepared for breakfast. Nami was there with a cup of coffee in her hands.

"Any word from Chopper?" The chef asked.

She shook her head.

"Seen Luffy?"

"Still up in the crow's next."

"What? He's been there all night?"

She nodded. "Usopp said he tried to switch watch, but Luffy ordered him back down."

The pirate chef looked at the young woman as he fixed the eggs.

"Do you think Luffy will continue being serious?"

Sanji shook his head. "Nah! Seriousness for one or two days and Luffy don't really mix well."

"I hope you're right."

The man sighed as he finished her plate. "Here Nami…" He handed to her before going out of the kitchen to see Usopp and Franky standing at the bottom of the mast looking up. "Still not down?!" He called as the two looked back and shook their heads. He sighed as he shouted out. "Oi! Luffy! Breakfast is done! Get your rubber ass down here!" When there was no response, he called again, only to have the same result. He lit a cigarette, told the two to head into the kitchen, and walked towards the mentioned area.

The two looked at Sanji, then at each other, up at the crow's nest, then back to the chef.

"If he wants to stay there, let him!" Sanji said, thus making the two reluctantly walk towards the kitchen.

When the four were in the kitchen, Usopp asked. "Where's Robin?"

"She's with Chopper, in case he needed help." Nami responded. "How long has he… you know?"

"Eleven… twelve hours." Franky said.

There was silence for a moment before hearing someone call out outside. Sanji walked to the door only to open and roughly sandwiched him to the wall.

"Everyone!" Robin said. "It's Zoro! He's going to be okay!"

"Really!" Nami said, regaining to her old self.

"Yes! I already told the captain, he should be there now!" Robin seemed happy and relieved when she noticed something amiss. "Where's Cook-san?"

Everyone pointed to the door.

She blinked and pulled the door towards her and looked around to see the pirate chef like a pancake to the wall. "Oh! Sorry Sanji-san!"

"Dats awlwright…" Sanji said as he fell to the floor.

"He'll be fine." Nami said as she looked at the older woman. "What else do we know about Zoro's condition?" She asked.

The older woman sighed. "He's alive and well, but he has to lie down for a few days. He's asleep at the moment." She then looked a little sad.

"What's wrong?" The other girl asked.

"Well… It seems that the monster has an acidic gland component that's used in a similar way a certain type of snake would shoot out its venom. Some of it was in his eyes, just barely costing him his sight. But Doctor-san was able to clear the acid and save the eyes. Now all Swordsman-san has to do is keep the bandages on for a month and a half."

"I like to see him try waiting that long." Sanji said, which was rewarded with a huge bump on his head by Nami.

"Are we able to see Zoro?" Usopp asked.

Robin smiled. "Maybe later, but right now let Luffy have some time with him."

Everyone knew that the straw-hat captain needed to have the moment with his first mate. That's when Chopper stumbled in.

"Food…"

Everyone congratulated him on a job well done.

Chopper, being shy and bashful about the praise, started doing a strange happy dance and saying 'you bastard' a lot.

With Luffy, he was sitting on a chair next to a cot, where the swordsman was lying there peacefully with a white bandage around his head that was in diameter range of his eyes. There were a few other bandages on the other's head, but nothing to worry about. He looked at his first mate with mixed emotions of relief and guilt.

'But if I didn't let him go…' He thought, remembering what happened last night. 'Zoro wouldn't forgive me.' He sighed. 'But it was _my _decision that got him like this!' He then found the bright side of the situation and laughed. "Ah! Zoro's been through hell and back before! This is cake!" He said as his stomach growled. "Speaking of cake… I didn't want breakfast earlier… Stupid! I'm hungry!"

As if on cue, Robin walked into the hospital with a plateful of eggs, ham, bacon, toast, a big bowl of fruits, and potatoes. "I heard you didn't get to eat Luffy." She said with a giggle. "That' very unlike you."

"Yeah…" He eyed the plate. "Please tell me that's my plate you're holding."

She nodded, which made the boy cheer, and she giggled as she handed him his plate. "He'll be resting for a week but his eyes won't fully recover for a month and a half."

"Oh…" Luffy said as he placed a piece of bacon in his mouth.

"I'll leave you be." She said as she started to walk out.

"Robin…"

She looked back.

"Tell Chopper to take a break for a bit."

She nodded. "Of course."

A week went by and Zoro showed no signs of being conscious. The crew was back to their old selves for the most part. Luffy, very often, checked into the hospital to see if Zoro was awake or just chatted about what happened for an hour.

"When does that stupid swordsman wake up already!?" Sanji said.

"I thought you disliked Zoro." Usopp said.

The crew were out in the grassy area of the ship, just relaxing in the nice weather.

"The first few days of not seeing that Marimo-head around was okay, but now it just feels awkward."

"Yeah…" Chopper said. "I'm used to seeing him take a nap somewhere around the ship or training."

"Same!" Everyone agreed to that.

That's when the door leading to the inside of the ship opened with Luffy, looking excited. "Hey Chopper! Come quick! I think Zoro's waking up!"

"HUH!?" Everyone said as they headed to the hospital after Luffy and Chopper.

When they arrived, the swordsman was, to them, still the same when they head a groan. The type a groan that meant that the first mate can make when waking up.

"Ah… Damn…" Zoro said. "What hit me?"

"ZORO!" Luffy, Usopp and Chopper cheered as Luffy hugged the other.

"Zoro's okay! Zoro's always okay!" Luffy said laughing all the while holding the first mate.

Zoro felt the bandage around his head.

"Don't take it off!" Chopper said. "Your eyes still need time to recover from the acid! Unless you want to be blind for the rest of your life!"

The swordsman turned his head to where Chopper's voice was.

"You nearly gave us a heart attack, you shitty swordsman!" Sanji said.

"Sanji!" Franky and Usopp said. "He just got out of a coma!"

"Like I care?" The chef said blankly.

Nami and Robin shared a smile, thinking that everything will go back to normal soon.

But Luffy noticed something was wrong. "Eh? Oi! Zoro? What's wrong?"

The mentioned person turned his head where the current speaker was, unaware of the curious stares he was getting. "Who are you guys?"

The room became dead silent after those words were spoken.

I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and I think the next one would be up later (if I'm really that bored out of my mind). R&R please! And thanks for reading this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

Here we go, the next chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 6

It's been a week since everyone realized that the first mate had amnesia. The first few days Chopper would change the bandages and read about how this event could be _cured_, only to discover that only time is the only medicine for Zoro's case. Sanji thought that giving the swordsman a good kick to the back of the head would cure it, but both Luffy and Nami threatened him not to. Usopp was thinking up some funny pranks that were harmless to the first mate, but Luffy would have none of that. Franky wondered if he could make temporary blind handicap devices on the ship, but Luffy said that he would take care of Zoro. Nami and Chopper both thought it was a bad idea until Robin assured them she will keep an eye on them. So now everyone was pretty much doing their normal routine, with one exception.

"Oi! Sanji!" Usopp called. "Have you seen Luffy anywhere?"

The chef was serving tea to the ladies when he looked over to the sniper. "Probably with that baka of a swordsman!"

"He's been doing that a lot lately." Chopper said.

"What exactly are they doing?" Nami asked as she took a sip of her tea.

"Luffy is reminding Swordsman-san's sword technique and training routine." Robin answered with a mysterious smile.

"He wasn't kidding about being with Zoro." Franky said as he came down.

"As long as he doesn't cause trouble or complain about food, I don't care what he does." The pirate chef said as he let out some of the smoke from his mouth.

"I think it's good that Luffy has something to work on besides running around and saying he's bored." Nami said.

"Franky!" A sudden call from the young captain was heard.

"He hasn't ditched Marimo-head, has he?" Sanji said uncaringly.

A moment later, there he was with Zoro, who's hand was holding the young man's.

"What's up Luffy?" Franky asked, since his name was the one that was called, and lifted his sunglasses up to his brow.

"Do you think you can make something for Zoro?"

The shipwright blinked a couple times, so did the others who were watching the conversation, before responding. "Sure! What would you like me to make?"

"Could you make a stand that surrounds the back part of the ship and have something above the stand to hang things on?"

Franky, as well as the rest of the crew, was lost. "If you can draw it out, I can."

Luffy broke into a wide grin and mentioned for the blind swordsman to follow him to search for a pad of paper and something to draw with.

"That's odd." Usopp said.

Everyone made a sound of agreement until a few moments later the young captain and his first mate were back out on the ship and handed the drawing to Franky.

Franky took a good look at it and his eyes seem to brighten at the sudden understanding. "I see now! Of course I'll make it!"

Luffy cheered while Zoro just stood there, completely lost about the whole thing.

The swordsman has to admit though, that the rubber boy captain knew him better than anyone on the ship. Luffy was able to help him with being reacquainted to his three swords. It also helped that the other knew some of the three-sword style techniques as well as the strength training. He started to feel familiar with the training that it started to make him remember why he trained like this in the first place, but didn't mentioned that revelation to the young captain.

"Lunch is ready!" The swordsman heard the cook call, making the young man jump excitedly.

"Food!" Luffy called as he grabbed the first mate's hand tightly and dragged him to the kitchen.

The scent of grilled fish, grilled vegetables, and a hint of some spice filled Zoro's senses as he was being seated; which was next to Luffy, who started to chat lively to Usopp and Chopper about the training. He listened to the lively commotion as laughter, arguments, and sighing was heard from each individual. When he knew his plate was placed in front of him, he carefully felt around for a fork, and ate a little bite by bite.

"Luffy! Stop stealing my fish!" Usopp called out followed by laughter from the young captain.

Zoro just chuckled as he only finished one-third of the fish when a fight broke out between the young captain and the young sniper. Then the chef was in on the argument when apparently the two were about to start a food fight. He felt familiar with the crazy crew. He could barely recall the faces, but at the same time the faces are completely shadowed.

The argument settled down and he could hear the crew walking out of the kitchen one by one until it was only him, Luffy, and the chef.

"What's for dinner, Sanji?" Luffy asked.

The swordsman could easily hear the mumble that the young captain could not before the chef responded.

"You just have to wait until dinner time."

"Aw!" Luffy whined as he looked bored.

"Go train or something!" Sanji said as he cleaned the dishes.

The young captain pouted, but he rested his head on top of his crossed arms. It was a new daily routine for him; he gets up and leads Zoro to the kitchen and wait till the blind swordsman was done, train until lunch was ready and wait, then he would help the other train a bit more or show him around the ship to be familiar with the devices and how they worked. Needless to say, this surprised the crew a bit, but let them be.

Once Zoro was done eating, the young captain grabbed his had as he was lead out of the kitchen.

"Oi! Captain!" Franky called. "I'm done with that request you asked me to make."

"Great!" Luffy said as he jumped happily.

"Luffy-san, what is this thing you asked Franky-san to make?" Zoro asked. Thanks to the lack of memory, the tough guy swordsman, who wouldn't be caught dead referring anyone as '-san'.

Luffy, not feeling comfortable with being referred as such, looked at the other. "Zoro! I told you to stop with the '-san' thing! That's Robin's thing!"

"Oh, sorry."

Luffy pouted. Sure someone would refer this part of the swordsman, but it just wasn't _the Zoro _he met and asked to be his first mate. "Don't worry about it!" Never the less, he wasn't going to force the memories onto the other, as Chopper put it, the memories will eventually come back at a certain pattern and pace… whatever that meant. "Let's see what Franky has done!" He dragged the other, but not to quickly so the other doesn't trip over his own feet.

He couldn't explain, but lately he begun to notice some things while being with his first mate. He noticed that he liked the feel of the rough hands on his hand. He also felt a bit cheerful, more so than usual, when he's just with the other. Ever since he declared responsibility for the other's well being, he's been feeling different around the other but couldn't describe. And he remembered the saying, _'if you can't explain it, don't worry about it'_.

Once they reached to the back of the ship, the young man started to grin from ear to ear at the site. "Franky! This is awesome! Thanks a ton!"

Franky made a pose as he responded. "You're welcome Captain! This is truly my super week!"

Luffy giggled as he looked at the work done as the shipwright walked away, hearing his name being called.

There were four pillars that are no thicker than bamboo. Above and attached to the pillars is a square frame with a few rows, creating a grid-like ceiling that was still open to the air. There were strings that hung from the corners of each grid and, if you follow the strings, they lead to one of the pillars and there were wooden blocks attached to each string and were in a basket.

"What did you ask Franky to make, Luffy?" The other asked. He sounded like an innocent child, which didn't bother the young captain, but he worried if Usopp or Sanji would use on of those dials and tease him about it later. A swordsman's pride is one thing you should _never _mess with, no matter what.

"Well, since you can't see for sometime, I remembered something that helps a person to be aware of things they can't see. So, since you're a swordsman, this will be great training for you!"

"How do you figure?" Zoro asked as Luffy moved him somewhere.

"Wait here!" The young captain said, leaving the other standing in the center of the small 'arena'. He lifted one of the blocks from the basket and let it go from an angle, giving it enough speed to go fast as the block hit the other's arm.

"What was that?" The other asked, slightly alarmed.

"That's a block of wood!" The other responded as he explained. "This kind of thing is used to increase awareness and a training method for multiple attacks."

Zoro tilted his head to the side. "Really?"

Luffy shrugged. "I don't know, I've seen it done where I was growing up."

If Zoro had his memory he would've stayed silent before saying something to Luffy. But he nodded in agreement as he readied himself. "Sounds like a lot of fun."

For a moment there, to Luffy, the other sounded like his old self, but shrugged as he released the other block of wood, which was missed by a mile and hit the other by the nose.

"Dammit!"

Yep… just about there.

"You're doing great Zoro!"

"Just keep them coming!" And again he missed and the block of wood him in at the back of the head. "Son of a bitch!"

I hoped you like that one, and I hoped it answers some questions you guys may have. Until next time… R&R please!


	7. Chapter 7

Hey everyone, YGO Cupid again. Here's another chapter for your reading pleasure! Enjoy!

Chapter 7 

Another week has gone by and Zoro has made tremendous improvements on his training.

"Oi!" Sanji called one day as he headed to the back of the ship. "What's goin-" He was about to say when a block of wood hit him in the face.

"Who'd I hit?" Zoro asked as he blocked the other blocks that were waving around in random order.

"Sanji, and another one came off." Luffy informed.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!!"

"Not my fault that you walked right into a runaway block." The swordsman said, sounding like himself.

"What was that!?"

"You heard me!" He hit another block hard enough to hit Sanji, who was more pissed off.

"Stupid Swordsman!"

"Crap Cook!"

The name-calling continued as Luffy laughed.

Zoro recently started to recover recent, long-term memory. He admitted to asking if they met a skeleton that was walking and talking as if it were alive.

Luffy was glad to hear that, but his hopes were slightly crushed when the older teen couldn't describe how each of the crew members looked like or know their nicknames that were on their bounties. But at least he remembered Brooke, the skeleton… that was something. But soon his hopes lifted when the other started calling the pirate chef '_crap cook_', '_shitty cook_', and '_love cook_', instead of just sitting there in silence.

Needless to say, the chef felt a little normal now that he heard his insulting nicknames the swordsman would usually call him, but he'd be damned if he ever admitted.

The swordsman would also start taking naps on the ship like he used to. So Luffy guessed that his first mate was really close to remembering.

"Sanji-kun!" Nami called. "I'm getting a little thirsty!"

Like lightening, Sanji was gone in a flash.

Zoro shut up once he heard the rapid footsteps along with a '_Yes, Nami-swan!_'. "Tch. Stupid love cook." He said as he put the weighted rods down and stood to listen to a certain sound; the faint sound of the wind trying to get a straw-hat off the young man's head. He went over and knew the other was leaning up against a rail, over looking the ocean.

He learned quickly, along with his training, that he had to listen carefully for any sound that gives away the objects position. Luffy laughed suddenly, which made him curious. "What's so funny?" He asked.

"I was just thinking about how you and Sanji would fight all the time! His kicks are powerful, but you can easily block them!"

Zoro could easily see the shadowed figure in his mind smiling a wide, toothy smile. "Should I fight that crap cook then?"

"Nah!" Luffy said in a child-like manner. "Don't ever start a fight until it leads to one!"

Zoro laughed at that. "Sounds like a good rule to follow."

Luffy laughed a bit louder then settled into a comfortable silence.

"Thank you." The swordsman said, breaking the silence.

Luffy looked a little lost. "Huh? Thanks for what?"

"For being with me since I woke up." The other explained. "It probably wasn't easy for you to tag along with a blind man."

Luffy tilted his head to the side. "What blind man?" It was the other's turn to look at the other. "I only see my best friend, who just happens to be blind!" He chuckled as he crossed his legs while sitting on the rail. "And you're not that hard to tag around with! In fact, it's a lot of fun!"

The other smiled as he faced where the ocean is.

"Besides…" Luffy continued as his tone sounded a little sad. "I made a vow to never give up on anyone or their dreams."

"Sounds like a lot to bear."

Luffy shook his head. "No, not really… It reminds me why we're here now."

Zoro was a little taken back by this, but smiled a rare smile that he usually gave to the young captain.

The mentioned captain saw that and was happy to see it again.

As another week passed, so did the increasing memory improvements. Zoro was able to recall every thing that happened in Thriller Bark and Ernies Lobby. He was able to describe Franky and Robin down to the personality.

"Wow Zoro!" Usopp said. "You're going right along with the memory thing."

"I guess so." The swordsman said as he cleaned his swords, which freaked most of the crew, excluding Luffy, because he was doing it blindfolded. "Where's Luffy?" He asked.

"He's probably trying to bust the lock from the food storage room again." Usopp said as he and Chopper were working with a chemistry set.

The swordsman wasn't too surprised by that, the young captain would usually try to get something from the food storage, which is guarded by a lock, which the love cook had the key for. He could hear the sound of sandals on a wooden board coming their way. "Hey Luffy." He said, causing the two to look at him and looked shocked to see Luffy a moment later, coming around the corner.

"Are you psychic Zoro!?" Usopp said.

"No… I just heard his feet coming this way." The swordsman said. "Just like I could hear the chemicals that you were making are starting to boil over."

Usopp and Chopper looked and freaked when they saw the chemicals they were making was flowing out of the glass tube like lava and caused a small explosion with it hit the flame.

Luffy saw that and laughed. "You guys trying to be funny?" He said as he sat down, not completely concerned that the other two were unconscious, right beside his first mate.

"Any luck?" The older teen asked.

The young captain sighed and shook his head. "No…" He said then added. "Stupid Sanji and his key."

The other chuckled. "Well, it's going to be lunchtime anyway."

"Yeah…"

They were in a comfortable silence, when the other two were coming around to being consciousness.

"I saw my life flash before my eyes…" Usopp said.

"Hey, Usopp, you're awake?" Luffy said.

"You just sat there the whole time?! I could've been dead!"

"Quit being so loud." The older teen said. "I could hear your heart beat, so there's no need for you to get upset about."

Luffy's mouth was opened. "Zoro's so cool!" He said.

"You're blindness must've improved your other senses." Chopper said. "It's very likely the case that happens to those who are without sight."

"That's cool!" Luffy said. "So it's like sixth sense?" The two looked at him as if he was crazy…er…

"Do you even know what sixth sense is, Luffy?" Usopp asked.

"I've heard the term before."

Zoro had to chuckle as the two explained t their captain what sixth sense is.

"So it's like seeing ghosts?" Luffy asked.

The two sighed. "Yes! It's like that." Usopp said, completely giving up trying to explain the super natural.

"You're weird." The young captain declared, which the two started to leave to go somewhere else. He looked at the other, and looked at the bandage around the first mate's head. "It doesn't bother you?"

The mentioned swordsman turned his head to the speaker. "What was that?"

"Does it bother you being blind?"

"Not really… Sure it could be a disadvantage, but thanks to you, it doesn't really bug me."

Luffy could feel his face warm up with the small comment and pulled his hat over his face and laughed. "I didn't do much!"

Zoro could hear the hat being moved downward as well as hear the slight nervous tone that the laughter tried to cover up. "You okay Luffy?"

"Yeah! Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know, you moved your hat down, which usually means you wanted to block your face from anyone looking or when you're nervous."

"Oh…"

Zoro finished with his last sword and put it back in its sheath. "And you've done more than anyone here." He added.

Sanji called for lunch and Luffy jumped around happily. "Food Zoro! Food!"

The older teen chuckled at the other's antics. "I'm coming!" He said as he could easily remember where he should walk and when to turn. But Luffy wasn't far, just in case.

Once lunch was over, the two walked back to do more training when Zoro stopped for a moment.

"Zoro?" Luffy said as he looked at the other. "What's wrong?" Then the older teen grabbed him and jumped backwards and landed to the edge of the slide, which they slid down to the grassy area. "Zoro! What the hell!?" He said when the sound of something hitting the ship let itself known. He looked back to see a net of some kind with sea stones on it.

"You okay Luffy?" Zoro asked as he sat up.

"I should be asking you!" The young captain said as the other grabbed him by the waist and quickly ran, where another net tried to catch Luffy.

Nami took this time to get out. "What the hell is going on here?!"

"We're being attacked!" The swordsman called out. "It seems they're after Luffy!"

The young girl looked to where the nets came from, which one just happens to be heading towards the two, but the swordsman used one of his swords and cut that net to pieces.

Usopp came out next and used his sniper goggles to see what was throwing the nets. Once he got it in focus, he saw a Marine symbol on a sail. "It's the Marines!"

Hoped you liked it! R&R please!


	8. Chapter 8

Here's another one! Enjoy!

Chapter 8 

The marines spotted the Straw-hat crew's ship and one saw the captain through the telescope. They knew he's a DF user, so they loaded their shot cannon with a special net, specially made for DF users. They fired one without making too much of a racket, since they were still a ways off, but one of the men said that it missed. They fired again, only to miss once more. By the time they fired the third one, they were caught.

"Quick! Get the other nets ready! We're going to bring all of them down! Also, bring the Poisoned Spear! But don't fire that one until I tell you to!"

"They're mobilizing!"

"Someone get the harpoon ready!"

"Yes sir!"

Back on the ship everyone was either ready to fight or to run away.

"We're still far away from them!" Nami said. "We can turbo speed out of here!"

"Great! Just one problem!" Franky called. "We're running low on the cola that powers it!"

"You've got to be kidding!" The young girl said as she, Usopp and Chopper started to freak out.

That's when a harpoon struck the side of the ship.

"What the fuck!?" Franky called. "Those fucking bastards!"

Then the Marine ship came into view, and was heading towards them pretty quick.

"Are they planning to ram us!?" Usopp called out.

Robin crossed her arms and thousands of hands appeared at the side of the ship and created a buffer to the Marine ship doesn't hit them. When that happened though, a net appeared and caught her as well as Sanji, who was there to _protect _the older woman.

Next were Usopp, Chopper, and Nami. "This can't be happening!" She cried.

"I can't be caught like this now!" Usopp cried. "I still haven't reached my goal as the Warrior of the Sea!"

Franky shot down a few and tried to get to the wheel to set up the cannons, but he was entangled in a steel net with magnets that stung like hell to him. "Damn you!" He yelled.

This left Zoro and Luffy to defend the ship and the crew.

"Luffy!" The swordsman called. "Let me handle this!" Before the other could say anything, he charged to the Marine ship, using only his ears and alerts to help guide him in this fight.

"Zoro!" Luffy called as he watched Zoro cut each net to pieces. He looked at the others and he saw that Franky didn't have the sea stone net. He tried to get the net off with some help from Franky.

Zoro, on the other hand, was having a time of his life. Thanks to 'Luffy's method' of training, he was able to be very alert to where to attack, when to defend, and when to do both. He felt something lightly hit his face, but he ignored it and finished off knocking out the men. Once that was done, he sliced the harpoon's cord and jumped off the Marine ship.

At this point Luffy was able to get Franky out, which got everyone else out.

The young captain came up to the swordsman. "That was so awesome, Zoro! You took them all blindfolded!" He said with a wide smile. He then noticed the strange gray powder all over the other's face. "What's with the stuff all over your face?"

The other shrugged. "Some bastard that mistook me as a DF user and thought the powder would take me out." He said when his whole body became numb, unable to move. "What the hell?!"

"What the hell's wrong with you now?" Sanji said.

"I can't feel anything in my body!" The swordsman called out when he heard it. A sound of someone giving the order to fire, the sound of a cannon going off and something very fast coming out going straight towards him!

"Zoro!" Luffy cried out, followed by the crew's protest.

"Luffy! Don't!" Robin cried.

To Zoro, thought blind, time seemed to slow as he heard the captain going towards him and the object coming closer. From the moment Luffy's hand made contact to his numbed form, that's when time became far too quick to comprehend.

He fell to the ground and he heard the other fall as well. "Luffy?" He said when he heard one of Usopp's slingshots shoot something along with one of Franky's cannons going off as well as the ship going turbo speed.

"Luffy-san! Zoro-san!" Robin said as she ran up to the swordsmen, with Chopper following behind her looking over the young captain.

"I'm fine!" Zoro called. "What about Luffy? **What the hell happened?**"

Robin looked and could only say something so simple, but greatly hides the truth. "He's been hit, saving you."

"**Hit with what!? TELL ME!!**"

The older woman felt like crying as she looked to see Luffy.

He was on the ground with a spear through his chest, his eyes were open, but they were not filled with that lively vibe that everyone knew and his mouth was slightly open with small streams of blood was coming out.

When she didn't answer him, the swordsman could finally smell blood and could barely hear the other breathe!

"**Luffy! LUFFY!!**"

Yep! I hurt Luffy! Someone please pray to whatever divine being you believe in and strike me! Please R&R.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey everyone! This would be my last 'fast update' until this weekend (had a 4-day weekend ;P ). But I will still be working on it until then. For now, enjoy!

Chapter 9 

A day later after the fight with the Marines, Chopper came out of the hospital, where the others were waiting for the news. "He's going to be okay." HE said in an exhausted tone. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. "I was able to get all the poison out, but he has to lie down for a day."

"Any other injuries?" Zoro asked.

"Amazingly the spear missed the heart and spine, so there wasn't too much to worry about."

The other crewmembers, who were not blind (Zoro), would bet the differ. Their captain looked like he was very close to dying in that second.

"I'm glad Luffy's okay!" Usopp said. "I don't think today is the day we loose our stubborn captain, who wouldn't leave us alone." Sanji said, which was responded by a punch in the face by the swordsman. "What the hell Marimo!"

"Stop talking about him in that tone." Zoro said in a dangerous tone. "I may be blind, but I'm not deaf!" He didn't stay around to listen to the pirate chef as he went up to Chopper. "Is it okay to have visitors?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah… Just be quiet."

"Got it." He said as he opened and closed the door once he was inside the room. He could hear the other breathing, much to his relief. He felt around for a chair and sat beside the cot that has the wounded captain on it. He just sat there in silence and listened to the soft breathing and the faint sound of the other's heartbeat.

A day passed and they landed in a port on an island. Luffy was good as new, since DF users tend to have a slightly quicker healing rate.

"Wow!" He called out. "Guys! It looks like they're getting ready for a festival!"

The port they docked the ship into was near a town that was partially decorated.

"Finding any good deals around here will be a little difficult." Sanji said.

"Do you think we can set a booth up as well?" Luffy asked.

"Are you even listening!?" The chef said as he looked like he had fangs.

Zoro grinned at the irritated sound of the chef as he heard people going back and forth in streets, dogs running around, and fowls getting ready to meet their fates as meals. "Sounds like they're busy." He noted.

"Let's explore!" Luffy announced.

"Hold on Luffy!" Nami said. "You just survived a life threatening attack, shouldn't you be taking it easy?"

Luffy then started to whine. "Aw! But I'm fine now! Can't I just look around?"

"No Luffy!" The young woman said as she glared at her captain. "You're staying on this ship and that's final!"

"But Nami!"

She covered her ears, as if making it sure it stays final.

"Better do what Nami says." Sanji said. "Even Chopper stat that you should take it easy."

"But I want to see the town!"

"Quit whining!" The chef mocked. "Damn… You're such a kid." With that, he walked towards the kitchen to make a list.

Luffy pouted and glared at the bandage around his chest. "Stupid Marines…" He mumbled.

Zoro, as soon as he was sure no one was around to listen in, went up to the captain and whispered. "Let's sneak out when they're not looking."

"Huh?"

"They want me to stay on the ship as well because, well, I'm blind."

"That's stupid."

"Usopp is going to spend the day mostly inventing pellets for his slingshot, Nami, Chopper and Robin are going out shopping, and shit cook is going to be busy cooking to notice. What do you say?"

"How do you know all that?"

"My hearing is becoming a little acute lately, so I could even hear the smallest of whispers."

"Cool!" Luffy said. "And your idea sounds great! But can we leave when the festival starts?"

"I don't see any reason why not."

"Well of course you can't see! You're temporary blind!"

Both laughed at that, unaware that an ear disappeared from Luffy's back. Robin smiled as she continued to read. 'Have fun.' She thought.

Later that day, Sanji came back from food shopping, Nami was still out shopping with Robin and Chopper, who was in his reindeer form and had got himself some new books about medicine and medical procedures. The festival was about to begin and Robin told the two that she wanted to go back to the ship, so that she would _finish reading her book_. But she really wanted to give the two young men an early start at leaving the ship to have their time together. She even has their shares of the beli tucked in a way that Luffy will find it.

Back at the ship, Luffy just found a wad of beli in his pillow. He was going to take a short nap before sneaking away with his first mate. "Zoro! Guess what I found!" He whispered as he came up to the other.

Zoro could hear paper in the other's hands and tilted his head to the side. "You got beli?"

"Yeah! I found it in my pillow!"

"That's strange."

"I know! But now we can buy food at the festival!"

"How much do you have?"

The young captain started to count. "5,000 beli."

"Nani!?" He nearly fell off of his couch. "That's way too much to be put into a pillow!"

"Who cares!" Luffy said. "It's enough for both of us!" He chuckled as he placed the wad of money in his pocket. "This is going to be fun!"

Zoro only smirked as he settled onto the couch.

"Zoro…"

"Hmm…?"

Luffy paused for a moment as his face slightly started to look pink on his cheeks. "Never mind!" He was about to head to his hammock when his wrist was caught.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, really!"

"Tell me or I won't let go."

Luffy shifted one weight onto his foot and laid down next to his first mate on the couch. "Mind if I nap next to you?"

Zoro was a little taken back by this, especially since the other _laid down_ then _tell him_! "I don't mind." He said then added. "Not that hard, right?"

That made the young captain chuckle. "Yeah…" He said as he yawned and shifted to be comfortable before going to a partial sleep.

Zoro, so the other wouldn't roll off the couch, wrapped his arm around the other and pulled him close towards him. 'So he wouldn't fall.' He thought to himself as the warmth of his face started to get a bit hotter.

I'm still alive, thank you. I know it's short, but that last part has me going 'aww!' all the while I was typing it up. I hope it does the same to you who reads this. R&R please! And I'll see you next weekend!


	10. Chapter 10

Hey everyone! It's the weekend and as promised, here's the new chapter!

Chapter 10

As the festival barely begun at sunset, Sanji was starting on dinner and talking to Robin, who was going to distract the chef for the most part. Usopp was somewhere else on the ship, trying to re-create the powder that made the swordsman numb, thinking it was a useful thing to have.

It was, at this time, Luffy and Zoro quickly got off the ship and headed to the crowded town, hand in hand. At first the two were getting odd stares until they saw the blind swordsman.

"Wow!" Luffy said as he saw the lights, games, and his favorite: food! "This is awesome!"

Zoro smiled as his other senses were having a party of their own. His ears can detect many conversations, mostly commenting how thoughtful Luffy is being to the swordsman, and music as well as the sounds of cooking and games being played. Smelling was another scent that picked up the savory spices on meats and sweets of desserts.

"What to do first?" Luffy said as he held his first mate's hand tight.

"Something to eat?" The other threw in.

The young captain's eyes seemed to sparkle at the idea. "Great idea!" He cheered as he hugged the other's arm.

The first mate felt his face being warm, but it was only small.

The other, who didn't notice the blush, searched for a great spot to eat. "But there's so many food that looks so good!" He whined, when he found one. "Hey!" He said as he started to drag the other towards the stand.

"Found something?" The swordsman asked as they stopped.

"Hello there fellows!" Said a man with a big beer belly that's covered by a white apron. He looked about his mid fifties with a partly bald spot on his head and a thick mustache. "How may I…" He paused when he saw the blind man. "help you…"

"Let's see…" The young man looked at the meat section. "They have kabobs, grilled chicken and fish, fried chicken and fish, beef steak… Sound anything good Zoro?"

"What's the mild spicy one you serve?" The swordsman asked.

"Good nose you got there." The man commented. "That will be the beef with the very small dash of spice that is grown in North Blue."

"North Blue huh?" Zoro said.

"We'll take eight of 'em!" Luffy announced.

"E-Eight sir?"

"Yep!"

"Oh… Okay." The man said as he went right to work.

Then Zoro could make out some cheering from a few booths down. "What's going on over there?" He asked as Luffy looked where the other was facing.

The man took a quick look as well and sighed. "That's just the run contest. We have it once a year and all the drunks in town compete on who could hold their liquor."

"Sounds like something that you can win at, Zoro!" The young man said with a wide smile.

"Sure does." Zoro said with a grin.

"ARE YOU INSANE!?" The man said as he looked like he grew fangs. "These men bet whatever they have saved up for the year and the winner takes it and spends it for more booze! Does that really sound interesting?"

"I am going to need something to drink after I eat." Zoro pointedly said, causing the man to look shocked. "You're insane!"

"Watch the meat!" Luffy said as the man went back to work.

"Here you go." The man said. "Eight North Beef Specials."

Luffy cheered as he grabbed the bag that came with it. "Thanks a ton!"

"That will be two hundred beli."

The young captain handed the bag to Zoro as he counted out the exact number and paid; Nami would've had a heart attack seeing this. "Here you go!" He said as he and the first mate found a spot and ate. "Wow! This is great! We better tell Sanji about North Blue spices!"

Zoro chuckled. "Sure. Then we will have a reason to rub it in that crap cook's face."

Luffy laughed at that. "Yeah!"

As they ate, they heard the group of drunks cheer on one person. "**Wolfkill! Wolfkill!**" Then a louder cheer erupted.

"Wolfkill: 12 wins! The still remaining champ for the rum contest!" Said one man with an old, ratty, hand-me-down robe. "Collected wins: 12,000 beli!"

Wolfkill laughed. He looked like a middle class man of his late fifties with hair slightly out of place with a pony tail. He had a thin, light brown mustache that was going grey at the ends. "That's noth'n! Who has the guts to challenge me? Eh?"

"The guy's annoying." Zoro said as he started to finish his second serving of beef.

"Yeah, but he's enjoying himself." Luffy said, seeing no reason to confront the old drunk.

"Hey! Mako!" Wolfkill said as he pointed to an old man no older than him. "What you go in yer pocket?!"

Mako, who also looked like a middle classman, looked shocked. "J-Just a rusty old watch, Wolfkill. You know I don't have any tin' valuable."

"To hell I don't know! Take it out and prove it!" The man was sounding angry.

Mako shivered as he sighed in defeat. He slowly took out, not an old watch like he said, but a small golden heart with rubies on it.

The champ looked really pissed. "You filthy liar! Where'd you get that?!"

"It was my wife's! It's the only thing I have to remember her by!"

Wolfkill spat on the ground. "I don't care if it's from the Queen herself! You hid it from me and now it's mine!"

"You can't do that!" Mako said. "This is my wife's prized treasure handed down from her grandmother! She trusted me with this until our son marries!"

Wolf kill snapped his fingers and a gang tackled the poor old man until he dropped the heart. He picked it up and grinned. "I could sell this for a good value!"

"Give it back! Please!"

Luffy was watching this with a dark, solemn expression.

"Captain…" Zoro said, hearing it all.

"Still thirsty?"

The swordsman grinned. He may not remember much about his captain, but he knows when you mess with the captain or trigger something, you're in for it. He got up, followed by the young captain and walked over. "OI!" He called. "Are you still looking for a challenger?!"

That's the new chapter of the day, and maybe more today if I'm bored (which is most likely). I hoped you enjoyed and R&R please!


	11. Chapter 11

Okay! I'm bored, and I just posted the chapter up too! Oh well! More for you!

Chapter 11

The drunken gang all stared at the swordsman as Wolfkill was reconsidering his new opponent.

"What's yer offer?" He asked.

The swordsman sat down and Luffy threw in the beli. "4,800 beli."

Wolfkill nodded as he sat down as well and threw in his 12,000 beli winnings.

"And my '_treasure_'." The swordsman said as he placed his three swords.

Wolfkill whistled when he saw the blades. "Nice blades you got there…" He then grinned. "Yer sure ya want a back down?" He placed the golden heart down on top of the swords.

"We haven't started and you're already talking about backing out?" The older teen said.

"That's right, sorry 'bout that." The old man said as he snapped his fingers and the drunks brought out barrels of rum.

"Lots of rum you got here." The blind swordsman said.

"Good ears on ya. We used the rum that's not been used through the years, so we have some nicely aged rum to drink up!"

"Makes me feel honored."

The drunks placed huge, keg-like mugs before them and poured the rum to the rim.

"Rum champion for twenty years, Bor Wolfkill!" Said the half somber announcer as a huge cheer went out. "Rum Challenger, Roronoa Zoro!"

"Yeah!" Luffy cheered, not bothered that he's the only one that cheered.

"Ready? Drink up!"

Both men grabbed their mugs and started to drink up.

About an hour and a half later, the festival passer bys were watching this feat with the drunkards and the young captain, and were amazed when the swordsman had yet showed signs of being drunk.

"Is this guy even human?" Said one drunkard as Luffy laughed.

Wolfkill looked just as shocked as the rest of the audience. 'Dammit! A challenger would be down fur the count!' He thought as he continued to drink.

Zoro felt fine on his part. 'Free rum all I want and nicely aged too!' He thought with a mental laugh. 'Man I'm glad that I dragged Luffy with me, otherwise we would raise hell on the ship.' He grinned at the thought.

After ten barrels, Wolfkill started to show signs of slowing down; He wasn't used to drinking this many in each challenge. The whole town seems to be watching as people tried to go through to have a better look.

"No way…" Said one drunk as he was holding an empty bottle and tried to get a drop from it.

Then Wolfkill just had it and fell to his side, unconscious.

"I win." Zoro seemed to sang out as Luffy and the towns people cheered while the drunks were shocked and stared at their once champion. "We'll take the 12,000 beli and the heart." He said as Luffy collected the items. He got up and surprised a lot of the townsfolk when he could stand and walked normal.

Mako was too shocked for words as the two went up to him.

"Here's your treasure back!" Luffy said with a wide grin. "Don't lose it!" He handed it to the shocked young man. With that he and the blind swordsman walked away from the drunkard's corner. "You were so cool!" He said as he wrapped his arm around his first mate; not using his ability.

The first mate liked the feeling of being praised, especially since he had about ten or eleven barrels worth of free rum. "What now?" He asked.

Luffy looked around when he saw an antique shop when he remembered something. "I still owe Robin that one time she helped me out!"

"When was this?"

"It was the day before that huge sea monster attacked and…" He paused, remembering that it was that night that made his first mate and best friend forget everything.

"What is it Luffy?"

"It was before you lost your memory…"

Zoro found the other's hand and gave it a squeeze. He didn't know what to say or do to comfort the young captain, but he felt the squeeze return and knew that's what the other wanted at this time. "So, what do you plan to do?"

"Well… Robin likes old stuff… so…" The young captain said as he dragged the other, which gave an odd yelp of surprise. "To the antique shop!"

"Luffy! Wait! I'M GOING TO FALL!!"

Back on the ship, Sanji and Nami were both pissed at finding out that both the captain and the first mate were gone.

"Where the hell were you, Usopp!" The young woman said to the sniper.

"I was trying to re-create the paralysis powder for future battles!" Usopp defended.

"I didn't ask for _what_, I asked for_ where_!"

"In my room!"

She then growled. "Where the hell could they be!"

As if on cue Luffy and Zoro came on board. "Hey everyone!" The young captain called.

Nami and Sanji glared at the two. "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, BAKAS!" Both of them yelled.

Zoro swiftly stuffed a piece of beef they saved into the chef's mouth while Luffy diged into his pockets and took out the 16,000 beli.

"Shut the hell up." The swordsman said.

"Here you go Nami!" Luffy said.

Both the chef and the navigator were shocked to say the least.

"What the hell did you put into my mouth?" The chef asked.

"It's beef with spices from North Blue." The swordsman said as he wiped his hand on Usopp's cap.

"What the hell Zoro!?"

"I got some of the crap cook's saliva on my hand."

"Nani!?"

"Where did you get all this beli!" Nami said. "This isn't the amount that was missing from the vault!"

"Missing?" Luffy questioned. "How could it be missing if I found it in my pillow?"

"YOUR PILLOW!?"

"Oh and Zoro was in this rum contest, after we got some meat to eat, and he won and got 12,000 beli and this golden heart that belonged to this one guy named Mako."

Nami just stood there, completely dumbstrucked as she sighed. "Who could be dumb enough to put 5,000 beli in your pillow?"

Luffy chuckled. "Someone who thinks we deserve a night at the festival."

Nami sighed. "At least you didn't bring trouble, for once, and returned with enough beli for me to forgive you and Zoro."

"Thanks…" Zoro said, not really wanting to be forgiven for his idea, which made the chef tried to do a kick to the back of his head.

"And whose fault is that?!" Sanji said as the other ducked, making him almost loose his balance.

"You should've known to let two pirates on board when we're in port and in a town that's holding a festival."

Sanji was really pissed for two things: 1)the Marimo was right to some level and 2) he couldn't think up anything to counter argue with that.

"Forget it Sanji-kun!" Nami called. "They're back, that's all we need to know!" She headed up to her room when she added. "I would like that fruit smoothie you were talking about!"

"Yes Nami-swaann!" The chef called as hearts appeared in his vision.

As soon as the pirate chef disappeared into the kitchen, Robin walked out and smiled.

"So that's what all the ruckus was about." She said.

Usopp sighed as he walked to find Franky to see if the cyborg was done repairing the damage the Marines done.

Luffy chuckled as he looked at Robin. "We got something for you Robin!"

Robin looked a little lost and somewhat taken back. "Oh?"

"Yeah!" Luffy looked at Zoro. "Still have it?"

The swordsman grinned and held up a box that was in the bag that carried the beef earlier. "Right here."

Luffy grabbed it and well as grabbed the other's hand and slightly tugged him forward. "Here Robin!"

Robin grabbed the box, which was the same size of a shoe box, and opened it to see paper, the kind you find when you have something fragile. She carefully took the paper out and gasped.

Within the box was a porchalin doll with straight black hair, about to the shoulder, with a yellowed fade white head band, a slightly aged yellow dress with ruffles at the collar, sleeves and the bottom part of the dress, and the doll also has black shoes that haven't been shined for some time. Over all the doll wasn't bad with only minor, small cracks here and there.

"You like it? It was covered in dust when we found it and it was all the way in the back!" Luffy said. "I almost didn't see it at first!" He laughed.

"Luffy…" Robin said, almost completely speechless. "I don't know what to say…"

"A thank you speaks a lot more than you realize." Zoro said.

She smiled as she gently held the doll towards her. "Thank you… Both of you…"

Luffy smiled, feeling that he made the right choice of what the archeologist wanted. After all, he's a captain, and it's his job to make everyone feel like at home and happy.

Robin excused herself, saying she knows how to fix the doll and goes into her room. She looked at the doll, whose eyes were blue with a small tint of green. She remembered the money she snuck into Luffy's pillow, but she never thought about being rewarded like this. "How did they know that I've wanted this doll since I was a little girl?" She said to herself as childhood memories cane into her mind.

She always saw her cousin have dolls, but she thought they were ugly. Then she came across a picture in a history book of a girl in a portrait that had the doll in it. She always wanted one, but the archeologists told her that those kinds of dolls were either in museums, collector mansions, or were damaged beyond repair. That broke her little girl heart to hear that.

She was crying now, but this time with pure joy.

Aww! Don't you think that was nice of Luffy and Zoro to do that for her? Well, that's that for this chapter. Be aware that there may be another one on its way! R&R!


	12. Chapter 12

Hey there everyone! Once again for your reading pleasure! Enjoy!

Chapter 12

They set out to sea the next day and Luffy was in Chopper's hospital room, watching and waiting for the reindeer doctor to finish re-dressing the bandages on Zoro.

"How long until Zoro gets his sight back?" The young captain asked.

"In a few weeks." Chopper said. "Done!"

Zoro felt the bandage and seemed to face at the small doctor. "You're a reindeer that ate the Hito Hito no Mi, right?"

Chopper was shocked to hear this! "You remembered me!?"

"Well… I thought it was strange that I'm being taken care of by an animal. But now I remember… I also remember a Vivi. She's a princess from Alabasta, right?"

Both Luffy and Chopper cheered. "That's right!"

Luffy sprung from his current seat and hugged the swordsman. "This is great! Do you remember anything else?"

After mentally shaking off the sudden close contact of the other, he shook his head. "Nope…"

Luffy pouted but shrugged it off. "That's okay! You remember Chopper and Vivi!"

"Yeah… Him and that snow island that I nearly froze to death."

Luffy laughed. "Zoro got lost!"

The swordsman got him into a headlock and gave the other a noggie.

"Cut it out!"

"No way!"

"Zoro!" Luffy whined.

Chopper laughed at this as it was going on. "You two are funny!"

Later that day, after training for some time, Zoro was asleep on the grass area while Luffy stared up into the sky, since it was very cloudy.

Nami came out with a coat and looked at the sky and then her Eternal Post, or Log Post as some called it.

The young captain saw her and sat up. "Hey Nami, where are we heading?"

The young woman looked at the other and answered. "We're heading to a semi-winter island. That's all I know."

"Will there be snow?"

"Just a little. Not like in Drum Island."

"Oh… Okay!" The young man said as he laid back down on the grass and looked up at the dark grey sky, when another question came to mind. "How long will it take us?"

"One or two weeks. Depending on storms. And once we get there the Log Post would need about a week for it to resister another island." She said as she sighed. 'Great! We're heading to an unknown island and who knows what's in there! And we have to spend a week there!' She thought.

Luffy, on the other hand, seemed excited about it. 'That's great! Zoro would be able to see snow!' He thought as Zoro was waking up.

"What's going on?" He asked, only partially listening due to sleep.

"Just asked Nami where we're going and when we'll get there!"

"Oh…" He said as he laid back down.

"OI! Lunch!" Sanji called, making Luffy jump around and tug the swordsman's arm.

Zoro grunted as he got up. "Okay! Okay!" He said, a little irritant.

Luffy tilted his head to the side before laughing. He would always do that whenever he dragged the swordsman somewhere when the other wanted to sleep.

The meal was going well until Sanji couldn't shut up about the two women, which brought to the first mate's nerves.

"OI! Cheese-head! Would you mind shutting up for five minutes!"

Everyone looked at the swordsman as Usopp broke the momentary silence.

"You remember Sanji?"

"Yeah… Now I wish I could forget."

"Why you-" Before Sanji could try to beat Zoro up, Luffy called out.

"Sanji! It's not right to fight the blind!"

"He seems perfectly capable to me!"

"**Stand down! Captain's orders!**"

Everyone was really shocked to hear an official tone Luffy as he sat back down and ate. Even Zoro didn't expect to hear something like that from the young captain. In fact, everyone rarely received something like that.

Sanji did as he ordered and had his serving.

"Wow Luffy, when did you get serious?" Usopp asked.

With a lift of his hat, the young captain once again had a clueless expression. "Na? I'm always serious."

Usopp was completely lost. "**Make up your mind!**" He called out, looking like he grew fangs.

Nami sighed and rubbed her temple. 'This is giving me a headache.'

Chopper and Franky seemed amazed by their captain.

Robin just blinked and giggled. "The mystery called Luffy." She said as Luffy laughed like it was true.

After lunch, Zoro and Luffy were in the other crow's nest, which was like an indoor version, and Zoro was lifting weights.

"I could've taken him out!" Zoro said, clearly was pissed that the other stopped him from fighting the love cook earlier.

"I know." Luffy said as he looked out of the window.

"Then why?"

"Because you guys weren't the only ones in the room at that time."

Zoro stopped at mid lift.

"Our nakama was there as well. Both of you would've fought without realizing that you could hurt others or worse."

The swordsman thought about it and placed the weight back down. "Sorry…"

"I know, you didn't mean to. But still…" Everything was silent and still until he laughed. "Stupid Usopp got caught by Chopper!"

Zoro tilted his head to the side. "What?"

"Usopp was trying to take something from Chopper and Chopper is in his human form to get it back! Now Usopp tripped and broke whatever he stole, thus making Chopper mad! Now Nami comes in and finds out what's going on… Chopper explains… Nami looks at Usopp… Nami is saying something… and… It seems she taking Usopp's beli to pay off the damages and Usopp fell on his face!" He laughed.

Zoro just listened to the young captain. "So no one got hurt?"

"Nope!" Luffy looked at his first mate. "Na…? Zoro?"

The swordsman smiled that rare smile. "Robin's right… You're a mystery."

Okay everyone! I'm going to stop here for now. I have to recuperate for future chapters, okay? R&R!


	13. Chapter 13

Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 13

It's been a week since they left the town and the weather has gotten colder and wet. Thousand Sunny was going through a fog and it was raining on and off.

"With this much rain we have enough drinking water for a year!" Usopp said.

"Doubt it." Sanji said. "Maybe about two or three months."

The two young men were in a room with the aquarium, along with Nami, Robin, and Franky, drinking coffee or hot chocolate. Chopper came in and sat down.

"Hot chocolate?" Sanji asked.

"Yes please!" Said the young doctor.

"How's Swordsman-san's eyes?' Robin asked.

"They're healing great!" The ship's doctor said. "And he even remembers Usopp and Nami!" And the adventures that took place with them!"

"Really?!" Usopp and Nami said in unison.

"Yeah!" Chopper said.

"But still doesn't remember Luffy?" Robin said.

Chopper shook his head. "No…"

"It's weird!" Usopp said. "I would think he would remember Luffy first."

"Yeah… come to think of it…" Nami said. "The two of them have been through a lot together."

"Not to mention all the times we were there in those crazy adventures." Sanji said.

"It's just the information in his brain that's having some kind of difficulty." Chopper said.

"Say what?" Franky said.

"He's able to recall recent events and with that piece of information, he had to trace back to figure out what that information is about."

"What do you mean, Chopper?" Usopp asked.

The young doctor thought about it for a bit. "Take this case like a really big puzzle." He said. "Most people start with finding the border pieces, right?" Everyone nodded. "Well, same thing. Since the border for Zoro represents the most recent events. Since he remembers Franky, he first has to find other memories, or pieces, that relate to Franky. Same goes for Robin and so on."

"So now he's trying to remember Luffy by finding _pieces_ of memory of him, correct?" Robin said as the reindeer nodded.

"Yep, and maybe his own past as well."

"Speaking of those two…" Franky said as he looked around. "Where are they?"

"Up in the crow's nest." Chopper said. "Since it's too wet and cold for Zoro and Luffy doesn't want to catch a cold, despite his disappointment to have some time in this weather."

"He'll get over it when we reach to that island." Nami said.

"Luffy seems a bit serious ever since Zoro woke up." Usopp said. "Has anyone notice that?"

"That's because that idiot is at a disadvantage with both being blind and having almost lost all his memories." Sanji said. "If someone knows about Zoro and have the intent to cause harm, then Luffy would have to be his eyes and give him a heads up."

"But Luffy has that weird training thing for him, and that one time he fought the Marines all by himself!" Nami pointed out.

"That's because Luffy, for once, knows that idiot can't rely on luck when it comes to a fight." The chef said.

Robin was listening to this, but has another thought. 'I don't think that being Swordsman-san's eyes was the _only_, if not, the reason Captain-san's doing this.' She thought when she remembered the young captain blush as he was laughing, after Zoro commented him. Then she could remember some possessive times, but everyone excused it as Luffy being Luffy. She smiled, almost proud to know the little secret.

On the crow's nest, the indoor one, Zoro was lifting weights with his shirt off and had only a sheet of sweat on him. Luffy was looking out of the window, which wasn't much to see with the rain.

The young captain looked back now and then and he would feel his heart acting like a hammer in his chest. He couldn't explain it… He just thought the other looked good. _Really, really good_. He looked away when his face felt really warm, and pressed his forehead on the glass.

'Why do I feel funny when I look at him now…?' He thought. 'I've seen him with his shirt off many times when he's training… What makes now any different?' He heard a grunt, signaling that the other is done with the weights.

He looked again, only to stare. 'What's… wrong with me?' He stared as the other wiped all the sweat off him with a green towel. His heart was acting like a drum that is being beaten at a very fast pace. 'Why is it speeding up?!' He thought as his breathing seemed to quicken.

"Luffy?" Zoro said, making the other freeze of anything. "Are you okay?" He went over to the other, who recovered.

"Yeah! I'm fine!" He said only to have the other's hand on his forehead.

"You're warm." The swordsman said. "And I heard your irregular breathing earlier… You sure you're okay?"

"Uh… yeah!" The young captain said with a laugh.

But the other wasn't convinced. "We should find Chopper, just in case."

The young man thought about it and nodded. "Okay."

They headed down into the rain, which seemed to be getting harder. Zoro slipped a little, causing the poor captain to nearly have a heart attack.

"I'm okay!" The swordsman said.

The captain began to wonder if this is how everyone felt whenever he done stunts like that. But he shrugged it off because it was hurting his head. Once they found Chopper and the swordsman asked to examine him.

"He's perfectly fine." The reindeer said. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Thanks for giving me a check up!" Luffy said with a smile.

Zoro was still a little worried, but decided to let it drop for now.

When lunch came around, Robin watched the two as Sanji was doing his thing with Nami, who was doing the same. Franky was talking to Usopp and Chopper about something, so no one noticed the stray looks their young captain was giving to the first mate. She figured that the older teen must've sensed it because she saw the other place a hand on the other's shoulder and whispered something, only for the young man to smile wide and saying he's fine.

'It seems Luffy is experiencing _those_ feelings after all.' She thought as she took a sip of her hot tea. 'I'll let them figure this out the natural way: let it be and it would let it show on its own.'

Okay everyone! That's it for this chapter! R&R!


	14. Chapter 14

Hey everyone! I'm back! And I've been working on the upcoming chapters all this week, so I hope it pays off. After all, I am new to the ZoLu pairing but they're so cute! Well, enough of my rambling, on with the fic! Enjoy!

Chapter 14 

It's been a few days, but now the rain has turned to snow.

"Yahoo!" Luffy called out as he burst out from the kitchen and land into the snow that had gathered.

"Luffy!" Nami called as she held up the coat with the sleeve missing. "You have to wear a coat if you're going to be playing in the snow!" But the young captain completely ignored her.

Zoro came out, only to nearly slip on the icy floor. "Ice?!" He said, causing the other to look his way and stretched his way to the first mate.

"It's snowing Zoro! So you better grab a coat!"

"Right…" The swordsman said as he got his footing on the ice as Luffy helped lead the way, knowing which coat belonged to the other.

Nami was about to shred the coat to a hundred pieces when Robin stepped in and calmed the young woman down.

"Don't worry Miss Navigator, once the cold registers he would want that coat."

Nami laughed. "Yeah…" Then she looked evil. "But he won't get the coat." The older woman blinked. "If that idiot isn't going to listen, then he'll face it on his own! I also better not make him take watch on the indoor crow's nest." She was giggling like a witch as she thought about making her captain suffer for not listening.

Robin is a bit concerned, but then thought about her theory. 'Maybe a good time to _study_ the two.' She thought.

As the day went on, Luffy's slow reaction to temperature finally dawned on him. "**It's cold!**" He said.

"What' the record?" Usopp asked Sanji.

"An hour and fifteen minutes for that idiot to realize."

"Nami! Where's my coat?" The young captain asked as he rubbed his bare arms.

The mentioned woman looked from her map and glared at her captain. "Sorry Luffy, but you're just going to suffer being cold until you've learned to listen to others!"

"But Nami!"

"But nothing! Luffy!" She mocked the other's whining tone at the end as she returned to looking at her map.

Luffy, deciding that talking to the young woman wasn't going to do any good, walked to ask the others, only to come up with the same response. The only one he hadn't asked was Zoro, who was leaned up against the rail, facing out towards the ocean.

Zoro could hear practically everyone on the ship and had to breathe out harshly through his nose. "What idiots." He murmured to himself when he heard chattering of teeth approaching him.

"Z-Zo-Zoro… D-Do y-you… kn-know… w-wh-whe-" The young captain was having a time trying to speak straight when the other opened up his coat and pulled him towards the other's chest.

Zoro wrapped the coat's opened flaps around the other while the young captain's form was pressed up against his. "Warm now?"

Luffy was too shocked for words as he nodded in response.

"Good." The swordsman said as he could feel the cold the other's skin felt through his shirt. 'Damn that woman! That bitch let him get this cold.' He thought. 'Just because he doesn't always listen.'

Luffy on the other hand was both surprised and happy.

Robin looked from the crow's nest and smiled a happy smile. "Now that's the sweetest thing I've seen all day!" She said. Nami came out, along with Sanji, and both looked shocked to see and both were about to argue when hands appeared to pin and shut them up. She was going to be lectured, but she didn't want anyone to disturb the adorable sight between the young captain and his first mate as well as swordsman.

Well, that's it for this chapter and many more to come! R&R please! See ya!


	15. Chapter 15

Okay! Another chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 15 

Later that day, everyone was inside for dinner, where Nami and Sanji argued with the swordsman about helping Luffy. The first mate tried to ignore the two while Luffy pouted and saying that the swordsman didn't _tell_ him where _his_ coat was, but _shared_ the coat.

"It was stupid from the start." Zoro said as he grabbed an oncoming kick and punch.

"**WE'RE TRYING TO TEACH HIM A LESSON!!**"

"And threatening the whole crew to do that?" The swordsman said. "You guys keep forgetting that I have acute hearing to these things."

Luffy laughed as the two looked like they were caught.

"I did that because Luffy was the only one out of all of you who took the time to help me get around being blind. While some of you would like to play pranks on me or were too busy to handle a blind guy." He let go of Sanji's foot and Nami's fist and got up from his seat. "I'm going to bed." He informed as he headed to the door.

Luffy soundlessly followed his first mate as they were out in the snow-covered ship.

"You don't have to help me." The swordsman said. "I know my way around the ship."

"I didn't come out here for that." The young captain said.

"Why did you come out here for?"

"I… I don't know really…" He said as he adjusted his hat.

Zoro turned his still blindfolded head towards his captain. "Luffy…" He started. "You usually wear a red vest shirt and jeans that cut off from the knees."

Luffy blinked. "Well, yeah, you know that already."

Zoro chuckled. "I know! Just like I know that you have a small scar, right…" He went up, cupped the other's cheek, and used his thumb to graze over the scar. "There."

Luffy's expression was one of surprise. "You… remember…?"

"I remember that stupid grin on your face when you asked me to join you in your nakama, even though I was the first one to join your crazy adventure." He chuckled. "I'm glad I did."

Luffy blushed as his stomach was doing flips, or at least that what it felt like to him. Before he could do or say anything, the boat took a violent rock to the side. The first mate fell on top of him as Nami came out.

"All hands on deck! We've run into a current winter storm!" She called as everyone ran out.

Luffy shook off the blush and got up to help the other.

The snow started to feel more like small, icy spears as the crew tried to get the ship balanced and not tipped over. Then a huge wave appeared and crashed onto the ship.

"Luffy!" Zoro called, making sure the other was okay.

"Ahh!" Luffy called as he was holding onto the rail of the ship.

The swordsman quickly went over as another wave came up and crashed onto the ship.

Soon the sea was starting to calm and everyone sighed.

"Sound off!" Nami called.

"Here!" Sanji said.

"Ship's still in top shape!" Franky said.

"We're alive!" Usopp said dramatically.

"So close!" Chopper said.

"I'm okay." Robin said.

"Luffy! Zoro!" Nami called, only to not hear them sound off. "Luffy!? Zoro!?"

Everyone was worried, and searched the ship, only to find a straw hat and knew the horrid truth.

"**MAN OVER BOARD!!**" Usopp yelled.

How'd you like that? There's still more to come so hang tight! R&R please. See ya!


	16. Chapter 16

Hey everyone, here's another one for your reading pleasure! Enjoy!

Chapter 16 

Luffy blinked a couple of times and his vision was blurry for a moment. "Wha…?" He started to say when he heard a heartbeat. He tried to move his limbs only to feel like they were pinned down. When his vision started to clear, he saw snow. Then he heard a groan and knew why he couldn't move! "Zoro?"

"Luffy… You okay?"

"Yeah…"

Zoro got up, letting the other move his limbs. "Where are we?" He asked.

The young captain looked around and sure enough, they were on an island with only some snow. "An island of some kind." He answered.

"Ship no where to be found?"

Luffy looked, but he couldn't see anything in the fog, and he told the other so.

"Seems like we're stuck here for awhile."

"Yep…" The young captain said as a cold breeze came in. "It's cold!"

The swordsman stood up and wrapped his arms around the other. "We better find some kind of shelter until they find us."

The other nodded agreeingly, while a small blush was formed.

They set out into the forest, after Luffy made a signal for when the others do come around.

"What did you put of a signal?"

"The skull on our flag."

"Oh…"

Out in the snow, the young captain came across some medium sized stones and created a deformed figure of the pirate skull.

"See anything?" Zoro asked.

"Trees, trees… snow, snow… mud, more mud…" The other answered when he saw something ahead. "Cave!"

"That'll work." The swordsman said as the other chuckled, being proud.

"Yep!" He said as he ran into the cave.

"Wait a minute!" The older teen called making the other skid to a stop when he was a few feet in the cave.

"Na? What's up?"

Before the other could respond, both heard a growl from inside. "Luffy! Get away from there now!"

The young man didn't need to be told twice as he started to run, narrowly escaping from a huge claw from a snow bear. "Well sorry!" He called as he was ready to fight. "We're just trying to find shelter!"

The bear growled as was heading towards the young captain.

"I got this one Zoro!" The young man called out. "Gomu Gomu no Rocket!" He hit the bear and it flew up into the sky. "Aw man! I was hoping to eat it!"

Zoro chuckled. "I'm sure there's something to eat around here, but first lets get situated in the cave."

"Right!" The other said as they looked into the cave.

"Some firewood, water, and food would be a good start."

"Okay! Food first!"

"Oi! How are we going to cook the food if there's no firewood?!"

"Oh, right!" Luffy said with a giggle. "So… firewood, then food?"

"If we cross anymore creatures, then yeah."

The young captain cheered. "Let's go get firewood!"

"Hold on Luffy!" The swordsman called just before the other left to go out of the cave.

After gathering wood and founding some berries, they returned to the cave and started a fire.

"Can we find food now?"

"We have berries!"

"But I'm so hungry!"

The swordsman sighed. "Is it dark outside?"

Luffy looked out of the cave, which showed a dark, foggy area. "I can't see anything!"

"We'll wait until morning."

Luffy whined but didn't complain.

"I'm sure our chances will be greater if we search in the morning."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The young captain nodded and settled onto the leafy bed they created. Zoro joined in a few minutes later, after making sure the fire wouldn't try to burn them alive in their sleep. Luffy shivered from the cold wind coming in through the entrance of the cave. The swordsman knew the other had nothing on but the red vest, knee cut jeans, and sandals. He moved so his back was towards the wind and, since he still wore his winter coat, pulled the other close to him like he did back on the ship.

"Zoro?"

"Just sleep."

Luffy blushed a deep color of pink. But he did was the other said and closed his eyes as he moved his hand to the top of his head, only to find out that his treasured hat is missing.

"MY HAT!!"

Zoro groaned, knowing that this was going to be a long night.

How was that? Good? R&R please and I'll see you later! See ya!


	17. Chapter 17

Okay everyone! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 17

Next day they walked around the forest for food.

"So far we got nothing but berries." Luffy said as he looked at his red vest, which he was using as a basket, filled with berries.

"I'm sure we'll find some kind of animal around here." Zoro said, his hand on one of his swords. "With that bear around, there's bound to be others."

Luffy pouted. "I should've gotten that bear when I had the chance."

The swordsman sighed irritantly until his ears picked up something.

"What is it Zoro?" Luffy asked as he started to hear something running towards them.

Soon two wolves, probably scouters, came into view.

The blind swordsman got into his fighting stance and waited. The young captain didn't move nor looked worried as he saw the wolves coming closer. With a blink of an eye, the wolves were found on the ground, all cut up.

"Will that satisfy?"

"For breakfast and lunch at least." The young captain said with a goofy smile as the other carried the wolves, who followed the sounds of his feet back to the cave.

After eating their wolf-meat brunch and berries, the young captain was good to go.

"All right!" He called as he rubbed his stomach. "I'd go for more, but that'll do!" He laughed.

The swordsman yawned and scratched the back of his head. "I know…" He said as he faced to where he skinned the wolf's fur. "Are they dried yet?"

The young man went up to check. "Still wet!" He said as he stretched. "You go and take a nap, I'm gonna look around a bit."

"Fine." The older teen said as he heard the other walk out of the cave. He sighed and rubbed his temples. "He'll be fine." With that said, he leaned back and fell asleep.

It was only ten minutes since the young captain came out to look around the island. "This island sure has a lot of berries." He said as he stared at the growing pile of berries in his make-shift basket from his vest. Then he saw a few small snow rabbits. "Hey there." He said as he bent down and threw some of the berries to the ground to feed the small animals. "You're too cute to eat." He said as he threw more and watched them eat.

Few minutes later, the bear from the day before was walking around when it sniffed and looks over to see the young man, who was still feeding the rabbits and birds that came down to join.

"I've got a lot of berries, so don't worry about it." He said when the small animals scattered away. "Nani? Are they stupid or something?" He didn't see the bear behind him as it lifted its claws above its head. But before the massive creature had a chance to kill, he done another rocket before calling out. "Gomu Gomu no Gatling!" And numerous of fists came at the bear and hit it towards the tree, where it was stuck until the attack ended. He looked at the bear and smiled. "Dinner!"

By the time Zoro woke up from his nap, he heard the other come in. "Found anything?"

"That bear we met yesterday."

"Really?"

"Yep! It's outside of the entrance when you feel like cutting him up."

"Alright." The swordsman said as he stretched his arms over his head. "Are those wolf skins dry yet?"

The young man checked. "Yup."

"We got blankets for the evening then."

"So that's why you saved the skins!" The other nodded. "What are you going to do with the bear's skin?"

"Depending on size, use it to block the wind."

"Zoro's smart!"

The older teen shrugged, not used to being called that. "How does it look outside?"

Luffy looked and it wasn't dark out, and told the other so.

"May as well cook a portion of the meat and work on getting the skin up."

"Can I help?"

"Find something to nail the skin up."

"Okay!" The young man said as he ran to find sharp rocks to use nails with.

About an hour later, we see the bear's skin was up at the entrance and inside the cave, Luffy put in more wood into the fire and sighed.

"Is it done yet?"

"Not yet Luffy." Zoro said as he rotated the huge chuck of meat about the fire.

Luffy snacked on whatever's left of the berries he collected.

"While you're waiting you could go out and get more firewood for the fire."

"Okay!" Luffy said as he walked out of the cave.

He found more berries and gathered a lot of twigs and broken pieces of rotten trees that were there for a long time. By the time he was heading back to the cave, he was attacked by a pack of wolves. "What the-" He said as three wolves bit him at the shoulder, arm and leg.

"Luffy!" The swordsman called, hearing both the boy and wolves coming.

"Get off of me!" The young captain said as he kicked and punched. He got bit in the ass a few times, but he and Zoro managed to kill a few and scared the rest off.

They panted as the young man counted three wolves killed and looked at his first mate. "Thanks Zoro."

"Thought you needed a hand." Zoro said as he grabbed the two wolves while the other got the firewood, vest-filled-with-berries, and the third wolf. "Your bear meat is ready by the way." He informed, which caused the other to get to the cave quickly, causing him to chuckle. "That crazy captain of mine."

Well, that's it for this chapter. Stay tuned for the next one! R&R.


	18. Chapter 18

I seriously don't have a life… Enjoy!

Chapter 18

It was day three on the island that they were on and decided to venture the land a bit.

"It's actually pretty cool once you get used to it!" Luffy said as he excitedly looked around. He had a wolf-skin wrapped around him, to prevent him from being cold.

"How are your bite marks?" Zoro asked.

"They've left bruises, but they'll go away!"

"I hope they find us soon, those damn things maybe carrying something."

"You worry too much!"

"Can't help it." He mumbled as they were at the beach area of the island.

"I'm gonna see if my signal isn't covered in snow!" The young captain informed before running off.

The other sighed and waited. "Where are those morons?" He said as he heard a whine not far off.

"Aw! Come on!"

The swordsman couldn't help but chuckle. He could clearly see the face now and also remembered how they met. The continuous grin on the other's face, how they fought together at that one Marine base. But he could also remember parts from his childhood. He remembered his vow and why he's with the straw-hat crew today. That's when he remembered about that night with that huge sea monster. "Shit…" He said in a hushed tone as Luffy came up. "Re-made the signal?"

"Yeah, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would." The young man said as he had a snowball behind him.

"Luffy."

"Yeah?"

"You better not hit me with that snowball behind your back."

The straw-hat captain was caught! "Na?! How'd you know?"

"I can hear your hands going over and over the ice… Aren't your hands cold at all?"

Luffy, being slow once again, registered the cold object on his bare hands and dropped the snowball to warm them.

Zoro, knowing all too well this will happen, sighed and thought. 'That idiot…' He went up and wrapped his arms around the other and rested his head on top of the other's. 'But that's Luffy.' He didn't realize that the young man was blushing a nice shade of pink as everything became warm… too warm.

"T-Thanks…" Was all the young captain could say as he stared out into the sea, listening to the other's heartbeat and feeling the slight rise of the other's chest behind him.

"You're welcome… Captain."

That made the other blush a little more that the cold wind really both bothered and relieved him.

They were in a comfortable silence for a moment when the swordsman mentioned about continuing the walk around the island.

Some ways off, but not too far from the island, Robin was looking through her telescope and spotted the signal of the deformed version of their pirate symbol. She smiled and looked very relieved. "Miss Navigator!" She called. "I believe I found them!"

"Really?!" Nami said as she quickly went up to the elder woman.

"See for yourself." The older woman said as she handed the telescope to the young woman.

Nami looked through the telescope and grinned. "Yep… There's only one idiot I know that could make something like that!" She then called out. "Franky! Turn and dock the ship towards that island!"

"Are they there?!" Franky asked.

"As sure as I am on weather!"

That was enough for him and turned the ship towards the island.

"After three days…" Nami said. "I hope those idiots didn't do anything stupid while being there."

Robin only giggled. "I'm sure they're fine, Miss Navigator."

"That's easy for you to say." The young woman said with a sigh. "I'm going to need a nice hot bath once we get them back on board."

That brought an idea to the older woman's mind. "They may need to freshen up as well, giving that they have been on an island for three days."

"Yeah, definitely." Nami said, having no idea what the other woman really has planned. "But they have to go after me! I don't want to dip into dirt and grime!"

Robin laughed at the thought.

Once they docked near shore, Chopper picked up the scent and followed, along with everyone else except for Usopp.

Back with the two, they were heading back to the cave when Zoro stopped and listened. Luffy waited for the other as he munched on berries.

"I think I hear the crew coming this way." The swordsman said.

"Seriously?!"

"Yep." He said as they started coming into view.

"OI!" Franky called.

"Hey!" Luffy called back. "You found us!"

"Of course!" Nami said. "Who could miss a poorly designed skull in the snow?"

"It wasn't that bad!" The young captain said as he sneezed.

"We better get you back to the ship before you catch something." Sanji said.

"Can't we get a few things from the cave?" This caused for the rest of the crew to raise their eyebrows.

"Cave?" Nami said. "What could be in the cave that we need?"

"Well, Zoro skinned some wolf skins and a bear's skin and we have some meat left over-"

"We'll get whatever's in the cave." Nami cut in. "You guys go with Chopper to get looked at."

"Fine." Luffy said as he, Zoro and Chopper headed back to the ship.

I hope you enjoyed and see you later! R&R!


	19. Chapter 19

Hello again fellow readers! Here's the new chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 19 

After being pre-cleaned for wounds and re-dressed the bandages on the swordsman's eyes, they were ordered by Nami to get cleaned up, after just taking her bath. They went up and argued who would go first.

"Just take yours Luffy!" Zoro said. "Your bite wounds need a through wash anyway!"

"But you've been cutting and slicing and getting blood on you!"

"That reminds me, I have to clean my swords once this is settled."

Luffy then looked like he reached an important decision. "I've got it!"

"What?"

"We'll take a bath together."

The first mate could not believe was he was hearing. "Are you serious?"

"It'll save time for both of us that way!"

They were silent for a moment before Zoro sighed. "Fine!" He said as he started to take off his black, combat-like boots as well as his socks.

Luffy was unbuttoning his red vest, which was stained with berry juice, as he looked back to see the other taking off his shirt like he'd seen a hundred times. But his face turned almost to the same color of his vest when he saw the other pulling down his pants and quickly looked away before he saw anymore. 'This weird feeling again!' He thought as he pulled his own pants down. 'Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. But there's no turning back now.'

"Luffy?"

"Yosh!" He said, not looking at the other.

"Are you okay?"

"Ye-Yeah!" He said as he felt the other place a hand on his shoulder, signaling to lead them to the bath. He wordlessly walked to the bath, and was thankful that it was filled with bubbles. He let the other in first and hesitantly went in next.

"I won't let you drown in the tub." Zoro said.

Luffy wordlessly nodded and put his leg into the water, which was salt water warmed up, and he instantly felt weak and heavy.

The swordsman had a hold on the other before he landed face first into the water.

"Why'd they use water from the ocean?" The young captain said, slightly sounding drunk, as his head was rested up against the other's chest.

"Because a certain witch believes it helps makes the skin look youthful." Zoro said as he referred to Nami as he massaged the young man's scalp with the conditioner.

Luffy blushed a bit at the motion before the effects from the steaming salt water kicked in fully. "Naaa…"

The other knew that this wasn't really good for his captain and tried to quickly yet thoroughly get the other washed. When he reached near to _that _part of the body, he would try to avoid it by scrubbing the other's legs. He then got out, carrying the young man bridal style, and carefully got out of the tub and had a time finding the towels. When he did, he dried the other, which seems to bring the other back to his old self.

"No more salt baths…" The young captain said. "Captain's orders."

The first mate chuckled. "I'll tell them that."

By the time Luffy came to with his mind function normally, the other was already drying himself and his stomach once again felt funny and seemed to twist itself around. To make things worse for him, he felt _hard_! 'What's wrong with me?!' He looked away from Zoro and saw his clean clothes laid out.

To temporary take his mind off his first mate, he carefully got up from where he was sitting and slowly got dressed.

"Oi!" Zoro said suddenly, causing the other to jump. "Could you hand me my clothes?"

The young captain looked at the other pile and grabbed it. He turned, only to see the other had the towel around his waist. He felt somewhat relieved by that and handed the clothes to the swordsman.

"Thanks." Zoro said as he grabbed the white shirt first and put it on.

The underwear was next, much to the young man's horror, but the first mate grabbed it and put them on while the towel was still around his waist. Once that garment was on, the swordsman took the towel off and grabbed the last article in Luffy's hands, the black pants.

The young captain just stood there, wondering if he should wait outside for the other or wait. All he knew that that hard feeling slowly went way the more he occupied his mind with something else, like food.

"Luffy?"

"Y-Yeah…?"

Zoro placed a hand on the side of the other's face and rubbed his thumb until it came in contact with something wet under his nose. "You have a nose bleed."

"Huh?" The young man lifted his hand up to feel the wet substance and lifted it up to his line of view, and sure enough it was red. He looked to find his red towel and washed away the evidence. "Your swords need to be cleaned!" He said, remembering was the other wanted to do after their bath.

"… Lead the way." The first mate said and followed the sounds of the other's footfalls.

When Luffy opened the door, cold air hit like darts and he was freezing, for once he wasn't so slow. "Cold!" He said as two strong arms were around him. "Thanks…" He blushed a bit.

"No problem." The swordsman said with a grin as he whispered. "You know, you didn't have to stand there and watch me get dressed."

The young captain was as red as a tomato. "Y-Yeah… I-I'll remember next time."

The first mate chuckled as he let his captain go so they could go to the men's quarters and give his swords a good clean.

Somewhere in the baths, an eye disappeared and we see Robin in the indoor crow's nest. She smiled and giggled. Her plan worked perfectly. That's when Nami came in.

"You were right about sea water baths! They really do wonders!" The young woman said.

The older woman smiled. "Yes they do." She said then thought. 'More ways than one.'

That's it for this chapter, sit tight for the next one. And no you don't have to glue yourself to your seat, because you may need to get up for reasons that should be kept personal. R&R!


	20. Chapter 20

Okay, like I said, here it is! Enjoy!

Chapter 20

It has been a whole week since the stranded ordeal (including the bath event) and it was the moment of truth for Zoro's eyes.

"Okay Zoro, I want you to lift your hand up over your eyes because your eyes might be a bit sensitive to light." Chopper explained. "Also to open your eyes slowly so they do adjust to some light."

Everyone was in the hospital room, anxiously waiting. Luffy was almost, if not on, the edge to glomp the other.

Zoro did as instructed and put one hand to his brow line as Chopper took the bandage off for one last time.

"Remember, slowly open your eyes." The small doctor reminded.

Zoro did take his time opening his eyes little by little.

Luffy could barely remember what kind of color green the other's eyes have.

As the swordsman managed to open his eyes fully and blinked a few times before lifting his head up and putting his hand down. He blinked a few more time and, for the first time in a month and a half, could clearly see his nakama again. "Hey guys." He said and the young captain instantly glomped him as everyone, except for the pirate chef, cheered on the recovery.

Chopper was being praised a lot that afternoon that he went into hiding until dinner. Everything else seemed to get as normal as the crew could _normally _be. Robin readying a history book from cover to cover; from volume to volume. Franky was thinking up ways to add onto the ship, Chopper was hiding at this point, Sanji was flirting with Nami, who was looking at her map. Usopp was playing with Luffy and Zoro was taking his nap. The life in the Thousand Sunny was getting back to normal as they left the island that Zoro and Luffy were stranded on, which was actually the island that the log post was pointing to.

"When's the next island?" Luffy asked that evening before dinner.

Nami looked up and sighed. "We're going to a town this time, and it we'll be there by tomorrow afternoon."

"Really?! That quick?"

"Yeah… The island we stopped by used to be part of the island we're heading now."

"Oh…" Luffy said as he left her alone. He knew Usopp was working on something back in the men's quarters and Chopper has gone to the hospital room, so he could only think of one other person… He cupped his ears so he could catch any sound when he got a loud snore. He grinned as he ran to where the sound came from. He found Zoro, in his usual sprawled out form when he took his nap on this back. But instead of tackling or glomping the older teen, he stared and walked up quietly up to the sleeping swordsman. He didn't know how to explain it, he didn't know how to call it either, but he did know that he felt different now towards the other. He hung out with everyone else while the other trained, but he didn't feel any different towards them. All these thoughts were hurting his head as he sat crossed legged.

He continued to stare, taking in the form before him. His vision then fell to the swordsman's face. He carefully went up to have a closer look. He saw the calm, peaceful expression on the usual stern and tough face. A thought whispered at the back of his mind, but he didn't pay attention to it as the urge to touch the short, green hair was known. He slowly reached his hand out and hesitantly moved it closer to the hair when a snore erupted, followed by a groan. He brought his hand back to his lap as the other sat up with a yawn.

"Is it morning yet?" Zoro said.

The young captain just had to chuckle on that, making the other looked at him.

"Luffy?"

The said person smiled to hide how nervous he was. "Hey Zoro!"

"What are you doing here?"

Luffy had to think up a convincing lie, and surprisingly he did. "I tried to sneak up on you, but you woke up before I could shout 'Hey Zoro!'." He said with a laugh.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "You? Sneaky?" He shook his head. "I don't think you could pull something like that if it saved your life."

Luffy laughed. "That's what Zoro's there for!" He couldn't believe he said that. Though he did always say things out loud that were, with guarantee, the truth.

The first mate looked at his captain and gave a rare smile. "Just don't do it too often." He said as he flicked the hat off and ruffled the young man's hair.

"Hey!" Luffy said with a laugh.

"Hays for horses." Zoro said.

"What do horses have to do with anything?" The young captain asked when the other stopped ruffling his hair and placed his hat back on.

The swordsman chuckled and shook his head. "Absolutely nothing."

Yay! Another chapter down! R&R! There's still more to come!


	21. Chapter 21

Here's the next chapter… Yeah… You know… Enjoy!

Chapter 21

"BATH! **NOW!!**" Nami yelled as she threw Luffy out from the kitchen. "YOU! MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T DROWN!" She pointed to Zoro, who was being checked by a now scared doctor out on the grass area.

"Fine!" The first mate called as the door slammed. He looked to see the young captain sitting there with a clueless expression on his face.

The young man was completely covered in dirt, dried blood where the small scrapes were, and some strange food particles and liquor stains. "It's not like it's my fault!" He yelled to the closed door.

The swordsman sighed as Chopper finished bandaging his arm. "Come on Luffy." He said as he walked to the baths, with the other dragging behind. He sighed again on all that happened in the past three hours.

"It really wasn't my fault!" The straw-hat boy whined.

"I know." The older teen said as he opened the door to the baths, which caused the other to whine more. He rolled his eyes, knowing that this was work in itself.

"It's not my fault those bastards came up and tried to make Robin feel bad!"

"Drop it Luffy!"

"But it's true!"

"I know! I was fucking there!" Zoro called out, which he took a deep breath and apologized, which the other said it was okay, even though he knew it wasn't. He remembered what happened those few hours ago…

Flashback

They were at the port town earlier and Nami gave them some beli to buy stuff with. "Okay guys, does everyone know the rules?" She said to everyone.

"Don't buy anything you don't need." Chopper said.

"If you've been given a list to buy certain items, then buy those items first." Usopp said as he held out a piece of paper.

"Don't gamble it all away." Robin said, while she was slightly nervous about something.

Nami looked at Luffy. "Well?"

"Let Sanji be in charge of buying food of any form." The young captain grumbled.

The young woman crossed her arms and looked serious. "Good! Now, this town we're in is a little slow on getting information about bounties, but they're really heavy duty on those who are DF users. So, to cause less trouble on all of us, don't… I repeat, **don't** use your DF abilities at _anytime_ until we get out of port. Got it?!"

"Got it." Said those who have DF abilities.

"All right! Let's head out!" With that, everyone went their separate ways, with the exception of Nami, Robin and Chopper who always shop together, and Luffy and Zoro, who was ordered to keep an eye on the young captain or his debt will be raised yet again.

Everything was going great for the first couple of hours. Sanji made some great deals on food. Usopp got most of the stuff from the list. Nami bought fabrics and thread, and other things a girl needs, while Robin and Chopper were standing by. Meanwhile, Luffy and Zoro were sight seeing.

"Aw! Cool!" Luffy said as he grabbed the other's arm and dragged the first mate to a window display.

'This is the tenth time he dragged me to a window.' Zoro thought as the other dragged him into the store where the display was in. 'And the sixth time he dragged me into a store.' He got a good look at the store, and seemed okay with it. 'And so far he has yet to disappoint me.'

The store was about swords and other weapons throughout the ages. Luffy placed a Viking helmet on and showed the swordsman, who chuckled before telling him to take the thing off. The store keeper tried to make a bargain with him for his swords, which he irritably declined.

After purchasing some cleaning materials for his swords, the first mate and the young captain headed back out into town, where they nearly bumped into a Marine. "Shit!" Zoro whispered as eh grabbed the young captain and hid in an alley. "That bitch forgot to mention those guys!"

Luffy put a hand over his mouth and nose to muffle a giggle. "It's not that bad." He said.

"How?"

"Well, if this was a Marine town, we'd be raising hell hours ago."

The older teen sighed and shook his head. "You're too positive."

"And you're stupid, so it works out."

"Shut up!" He said with a blush, which thankfully was hidden in the shadows.

They got out of the alley as soon as the coast was clear.

"Everyone is probably on their toes by now." The swordsman said.

"Yeah." The young captain said with a smile, when he saw Robin up ahead. "There's Robin!" He said with wide grin and was about to charge up when he saw a can being thrown at her.

"Get out of her you demon!" Said one of the men.

"Yeah! Go back to hell where you belong!" Said another as he threw a rock.

"What the hell?" The straw-hat boy said as he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked to see the swordsman, who was pointing to an old poster that had a picture of Robin when she was eight years old.

"What do you want to do, Captain?" The first mate asked as he saw the other adjusted his hat the way he does when he's going to settle injustice his own way.

"Let's go." The young captain said as he and Zoro soundlessly ran to the archeologist and faced the crowd.

"Who're you punks?!" Said one man.

"Get outta the way!" Said another.

"Luffy! Zoro!" Nami called out as she was being held back by the guys along with Chopper, who was in his reindeer form.

"Let them go." Luffy said in a dangerous tone.

"Why should we?"

Luffy went up to the men holding down Nami and Chopper and did only a swift punch to each man's face. "No one hurts my nakama…" He said as the men backed off. "Nami, get Robin out of here."

The young woman nodded and she and Chopper helped the older woman out of the crowd, whose attention was on the two men now.

"Ya say that demon is yer nakama?" One of the men boldly asked.

The straw-hat captain glared at the speaker, who slightly backed away. "Yeah, what about it?"

The swordsman waited for either a cue from the other or a suspicious movement from the crowd to attack.

A rotten cabbage came out of nowhere and hit Luffy at the side of the head.

"Anyone who's nakama with that woman is to be taken out!"

"Get out of our port!"

"Yeah, go to hell!"

At that point food and liquor was being thrown at them as well as dirt and rocks.

"Don't attack." Was all the young captain could say to Zoro.

"Aye, aye." The swordsman said as he and the young captain stood there until the people had run out of things to throw. That's when the Marines come in. "Captain?"

"Time to go!" With that they fought their way out and caused an uproar. "Nami's not gonna like this!" He said while laughing.

"I don't care!" The first mate said. "As long as we get out her, I'm fine by this!"

Luffy laughed. "When I become Pirate King, we'll come back here!"

"Why then?"

"By then, everyone will learn to respect each and every member of the crew!"

Zoro laughed. "Sounds good to me!"

After, once again, turned attention to themselves, they made it to the ship and made it out without any further complications.

End of Flashback

"I said no salt water baths!" The young boy said as the salty scent reached his nose. "Do they want me to drown?!"

The other sighed and he rubbed his eyes. "I'm here, so I won't let you drown."

The young man looked at the other. "Like all the other times?"

The older teen raised an eyebrow. "I am your first mate."

The young captain nodded as he stripped down, trying to hide his blush as he did so. 'Two baths in one month? Could it get any worse?' He thought as he looked at the warm yet slightly murky water.

The other knew the young man was completely hesitating over the bath and sighed as he started to strip down himself. Once he done with that he went up to the bath the other was glaring at and went in.

The young captain's eyes went a little wider than normal when saw the other go in. 'This is like last time…' He thought with a blush. 'Only this time he could see!'

"Well?" Zoro said. "Are you coming in or do you want to face Nami's rage?"

Luffy didn't want to face the young woman again, even though she should be thanking him for at least getting to the ship with no problems. He sighed as he grabbed the edge of the tub and just jumped in, which made him feel dizzy.

Zoro, slightly shocked that the other jumped, grabbed a hold of the other and pulled the now limped form towards him.

The young captain landed on the other's chest, but was still dizzy due to the water.

"I won't let you drown, Captain." The older teen said as he grabbed a wash cloth and started to wash the dirt and food particles away from the lithe body.

The young man relaxed as the other washed him. He liked how the other's hands, though rough, felt on his skin. He really liked it when those said hands massaged his scalp. Before he knew it, they were out of the tub and was being dried by his own red towel.

"You okay?" The first mate asked.

The young man nodded. " 'Cause Zoro's here." He said with a characteristic grin.

The other chuckled as he ruffled the other's hair with the red towel. "Zoro's glad to hear that." He said making the other giggle before grabbing another towel, since he's already wrapped his other towel around his waist, and tried to dry his hair.

The straw-hat captain continued to look at his first mate. 'That's funny, when I look at Zoro like this earlier I feel really weird, but now… it's still weird, but not in a bad way.' He thought as he got dressed.

As soon as the other got dressed as well, they headed out of the baths just in time to hear Sanji call out for dinner.

"Food!" Luffy said excitedly and tugged the other to hurry up.

"Okay! Okay!" Zoro said.

You would think all was back to normal, but a certain woman with blue eyes has an idea on her mind.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! R&R!


	22. Chapter 22

Back into the groove! Enjoy!

Chapter 22

"Okay everyone!" Sanji said. "Desserts are ready!"

"Desserts?" Usopp said. "That's a rare treat."

"Yay!" Luffy called out as he started to act, more so than he does now, like a kid.

"Oi! Calm down will ya?" Zoro said as he put his hand on top of the young captain's head to try and settle the other down. That was short lived when the chef brought out a huge, chocolate fudge covered cake, decorated with the berries that young captain and himself found n the island.

"All of you thank Robin for the idea!" Sanji said.

"Thanks Robin!" Everyone chimed in and started to dig in with their slice.

Luffy, of course, was making a mess eating his. With fudge smeared on his cheeks and chin, crumbs stuck onto the sides of his mouth, and the few berries that were on his slice are now smeared with the fudge and some dripped from the corners of his mouth.

Zoro watched and had to urge to lick all that from the other's face.

"Seconds!"

"No way!" Sanji said. "Everyone get one slice, and one slice only."

"Aw!" Nami said as she did a pout. "I wanted another small piece!"

"Here you go my sweet!"

"Yay!"

"No fair!" Luffy was ticked that the Navigator could get another slice.

"Here…" Zoro said as he slid his plate to the other's view.

"Really?" Luffy asked, but his eyes looked hopeful.

"I'm not really into sweets." The first mate half lied as he watched the other in slight amusement as the other ate the slice down like the last slice.

"Geez…" Nami said. "You need _another_ bath?"

The young captain looked up after swallowing the last of the slice of cake. "Why would I want another bath?"

"**Because you look like a mess!**" The young woman shouted. "At least wash your face!"

"Fine!" Luffy said as he got up and headed out.

The swordsman waited for a bit before he faked a yawn and headed out as well. "I'm going to take a nap." He said as he exited the kitchen.

"Bunch of weirdoes." Nami said as she sweet talked to the chef for some tea.

Usopp, Chopper, and Franky were telling each other jokes, while Robin grinned behind her cup.

Outside Zoro caught up with Luffy just in time before the said captain went to the bathroom. "Hey, Luffy…"

"Yeah Zoro?" The young captain said with a slight tilt to the head. He waited until the other came up to him, all the while feeling slightly nervous from the look the other was giving him. "Zoro…?"

"Yes… Captain?" The first mate whispered as he slightly bent down to the other's eye level.

The young man's heart was beating into his ears, his stomach was doing those strange flips again, and above all, he couldn't make himself escape or run from the other. In fact, he was curious to know what the other plans to do.

The swordsman used his hand to slightly raise the young man's chin up, where the berries juice stains went everywhere around the neck. He licked one trail away, causing the other to gasp a little. He grinned at the sound as he continued with the other stained trails until they were gone.

Luffy seemed to do a slight moan as the other stopped.

"Is something wrong, Captain?"

The young man didn't trust his voice at this point and shook his head.

The first mate grinned even more at the response as he lifted the other's head a little more and licked away what was under his chin and along the jaw line.

The young captain moaned as he felt a little dizzy. He would've fell to his knees if the other hadn't gently pushed him back to a wall and was held up with the other's free arm.

Zoro licked his own lips to get the sweetness off before he used his hand, the one that guided the head upward, to go up the black, wind swept hair.

Luffy shivered when he felt the rough, yet gentle hand go up into his hair, which knocked the straw-hat back but was still there thanks to the strings.

The first mate stood up a little as he started licking the other's face, leaving the lips for last.

The young captain was shaking, but not because he was scared or violated or cold. He didn't know what to describe the feeling to the shaking, but he liked it. Just like how he liked the feeling of the other's tongue go around his face, which reminded him of how a cat cleans her young or how a dog licks the wound for its friend, and how he could feel the heat radiating off from the swordsman.

The first mate was about to go for the lips when he noticed the shaking. 'Damn! Was I too fast?" He thought. 'He probably doesn't feel the same. Zoro you idiot!' He was backing away when he felt the other grip her shirt.

"Don't…" The young man said, sounding a little off. "Don't stop…" He breathed when he closed the distance between them and was shaking even more since the other stopped.

The older teen was surprised to see and hear the other like this; it was slightly turning him on. "Luffy…" He said, wanting to get control on himself before he went too far. "Do you…" He started, but was having a hard time thinking the next part when the other innocently leaned back while their waists still _dangerously_ close together.

"Do I what?" Luffy was completely lost! The other was licking his face one minute, the next the other was asking him something.

"Do you… know what love is?" Zoro asked, which he mentally kicked himself.

The young tilted his head to the side. "Sure, everyone has heard of love."

"Uh… well…" Zoro stumbled. 'Great! Now what?' He thought when he asked. "Uh… what do you love the most?" He was blushing as he said that.

Luffy blinked as couple of times. "Everything." He said simply. "I love the crew, the ship, Shanks, Ace, adventure, and food!" He smiled his usual goofy smile.

Zoro sighed. "Well… okay… But what I'm asking is what you love, more than anything?"

Luffy is confused now. "What do you mean?"

The first mate was running out of things to give the other a hint of was he was asking. 'So much for _dessert_.' He thought as he seemed defeated. He looked at the small amount of fudge on the other's lips and come up with something. "What I mean is… who do you… out of anyone here or you know… do you… want to… kiss?" He was preparing for any rejection.

"Who I want to kiss?" The young man repeated the question to make sure he heard it right. When the other nodded, he smiled, already made up his mind. "I would kiss Zoro!" He said as he smiled his special smile he would give to the other.

The first mate was both shocked and happy to hear that response. He cupped the other's face and leaned down to claim the other's lips, only to hear someone coming towards them.

"Zoro!" Nami called.

The said person groaned, not liking to be disrupted when he's about to kiss someone he loved for sometime. "What!?" He said as he regained his composure.

"You're taking watch!"

"Why me?!"

"Robin has come down with something and you've been taking naps all day!" She said as she pointed to the indoor crow's nest. "Now get your ass up there!"

"Okay! Okay!" He said when he thought up something. "Don't give yourself wrinkles!" He dodged a hard object that was intended for his head, but then was hit by Luffy's form.

"You make sure he doesn't fall asleep!" She said as she pointed to Luffy, who was sprawled on top of the swordsman.

The young captain fixed his hat back on his head and looked at the young woman. "Okay." He said simply as she stomped away.

'Must be the time of the month.' The swordsman thought as he and the young captain headed to the indoor crow's nest. 'At least we'll be alone.' He thought with a grin.

Robin, using her ability to see, smiled as she got comfortable in bed. 'All according to plan.' She thought as she opened her book.

What do you guys think? Not bad? Good? Eh? R&R!


	23. Chapter 23

alarms going off Shoot! Darn! Cut it out! alarms stop Okay… Sorry about that everyone, that was the lemon warning for those who are squeamish on the whole yoainess of the fic. Yes, there is lemon in this chapter and it's the first time doing so for this paring, so go easy on me, kay? **You have been warned!!** Enjoy!

Chapter 23 

Both Luffy and Zoro were looking out from the crow's nest and the young captain was a little fidgety. He looked over to the weights that Zoro placed on the door so no one could get in, if they dared.

The swordsman waited until Franky went down to the men's quarters. 'Finally.' He thought as he looked over to the young captain and gave him his rare smile. "We're all alone now." He said.

The young captain blushed, but he smiled anyway.

The first mate leaned back against the glass and extended one arm out in invitation.

The other, like a curious monkey, crawled up until their faces were only an inch away.

The older teen wrapped his arm around the lithe form, bringing the young captain closer towards him.

The young man blushed but he wrapped his arms around the other's neck.

"Where were we?" He teased as the other seemed to squirm. "I remember…" He said as he trailed his hand slowly up the young man's spine, causing shivers to the other, until it rested on the back of the neck. He brought the other's head towards him until their lips finally met.

Luffy blinked in a somewhat surprise way. 'His lips…' He thought. 'I thought it would be a little rough, but they're kinda soft.' He closed he eyes to enjoy the feel.

Zoro used his other hand to rub the other's side as he deepened the kiss, and dared his tongue to lick the other's lips.

The young captain opened his mouth and moaned at the feeling of the other's tongue roam around his mouth.

The swordsman moved his hand down from the back of the other's neck to the other side of his captain. When air was needed, they parted and panted a bit. "You okay, Luffy?" He asked as he broke through the fog in his mind.

The other nodded as he gave the older teen a special smile. "Yeah." He said as he tapped the other's lips with his finger. "Your lips were kinda soft, but still a bit rough."

The first mate blinked but grinned as he chuckled. "I never knew that."

The young man giggled as he shifted a little. "Is that all?" He asked.

The other was slightly confused. "What is?"

"Kissing. Is that all there is to love?"

Zoro blinked, a little shocked. "That's… part of it…"

"What's the other part?"

"You really want to know?"

Luffy looked a bit annoyed right now. "You stupid or something?"

The other sweat dropped. "It's hard to explain, and I don't know if you want _that_."

The young captain then looked intelligent. "You mean sex, right?"

The swordsman wasn't expecting that. "Uh… yeah…"

"Then I want to."

"**Do you even know how it works!?**"

"I saw Shanks and Ben do it one time by accident."

The first mate was completely speechless, to say the least.

Luffy then fingered the three earrings on the other's ear. "I still want it." He said and moved his hand up to the other's hair before the other had a chance to argue. "As long as it's you." He added.

Needless to say, that made the other feel happy to hear that. "It's going to hurt like hell."

Luffy stuck his tongue out. "Since when did that stop me?" He said as he was still feeling the green hair, which he noted how it felt good under his fingertips.

The other grinned as he moved them to the floor of the crow's nest, which surprised the young man somewhat. "If you're sure that you're ready…"

The young man smiled as he went up and kissed his first mate as his response.

The first mate used one hand to keep himself up and the other to feel the skin that was hidden beneath the red cloth. He noted the toned muscles, yet the skin was soft. 'Probably from the Devil's Fruit.' He thought as he deepened the kiss.

The straw-hat captain, on the other hand, moaned at both the kiss and the touch the other was giving him. He could feel his stomach doing flips again as well as harding of the lower regions.

The older teen undid the buttons from the vest and started to kiss down to the jaw line, down the neck, and then teased the young captain's nipples with his tongue.

The other took a sudden intake of breath when he felt that. He gripped the other's shoulders as he moaned out the other's name.

The swordsman loved the sound and continued to tease the now squirming young man.

Luffy arched his back as he tugged at the other's shirt.

The other trailed down lower until he got to the belly button and dipped his tongue in and out.

The young captain moaned at the feeling he was getting but whimpered slightly at the pain at his growing _need_.

"Luffy?" The other said as he heard the whimper and stopped.

"Don't stop!" The young man said as he wrapped his arms and legs around the other.

Zoro was caught off guard from the other's action when he felt something hard pressed up against him and he figured out what the other _needs_ now. He trailed one hand up along the other's back from beneath the red cloth and the other hand down his jeans.

The young captain sharply gasped when the hand going down his jeans was rubbing the small of his back.

The first mate took the opportunity and capture the other's lips once again as he worked at taking the other's pants off.

The young man was tugging on the swordsman's shirt, which was taken off by the mentioned other. He slightly pushed the other backward so that he was on top of his first mate.

The older teen blinked, a little confused until the other was trying to undo his pants while kissing him. He let the other do as he pleased as he enjoyed the attention he was getting. When his pants were down to his knees, he wrapped an arm around the other and used his legs to do the rest of getting rid of his article of clothing as he flip them over once so he was on top once more. He broke the kiss so they could have some air in their lungs. He looked at the other and saw the greatest sight he's seen so far. Luffy had a sheet of sweat on his exposed skin, making him seem to have a kind of glow in the moonlight, and the young man was panting aw well as his face seem to have a small, perfect shade of pink across his face. What really seem to drive him was the half opened eyes that showed love and lust, but there was also trust in those half dazed eyes.

He was caught by surprise when the young captain grabbed his hand and started to lick three fingers until they were completely covered in saliva. He knew why the other did that and proceeded with the next step.

He used his other hand to get rid of the final article out of the way before wrapping an arm around and was sitting upward, with his back against the wall and holding the very much in need of release of his captain toward his chest. He then used his coated fingers to penetrate the entrance, which made the other gasp and tensed. He whispered calming things to the other as the said person was getting used to the feel of the finger.

The young man only felt a little uncomfortable when the other started to insert the other two fingers into him.

The first mate then took his fingers out of the rubber boy, which caused the other to whimper, and arranged their forms so that the head of his erection was at the entrance. With a swift nod from his captain, he entered, causing the other to cry out in pain. He could feel the nails trying to puncture his skin, but he didn't mind. He leaned in to kiss the other's neck as he moved in and out of the other.

After awhile he hit a sweet spot, causing the other to cry out his name in such a way that seemed far away and dreamy, or delirious, and released. It also caused the young man to tighten around him as he cried out his captain's name and released inside the other.

He felt slightly drain as he leaned back against the wall with the other panting against his neck. He managed to slip out of the other so that both were in a comfortable resting position.

"I love you." He said as he felt the other wrap his arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

When they parted, Luffy looked into Zoro's eyes and smiled his tired but special smile. "I love you too, Zoro."

The first mate smiled his rare smile and rubbed his nose against the other's nose, causing a giggle. "Let's get some sleep." He said as the other yawned.

Without another word, the young captain was fast asleep on top of the other and the swordsman held the other as he slept against the wall.

The windows were fogged up from all the heated activity, but were starting to clear as the room started to cool and the moonlight fell on the two new lovers as the ship peacefully glided along the sea.

sign: Out Due to Having a Nose Bleed and Fainting Constantly sign: R&R please!


	24. Chapter 24

I'm sorry to say, but this is the last chapter! Don't cry! I'm actually thinking up a new fic! And it's going to be a crazy one! But it will raise the 'Aww' factor a lot! Okay! Enjoy!

Chapter 24 

The next morning everyone was in the kitchen, just having a normal meal. Robin looked over to see the captain and first mate, being like they normally would be. 'I wonder if all went well?' She thought as she watched their behavior.

Luffy was chatting lively with Usopp and Chopper, Zoro was laughing along with Franky while having side arguments with Sanji.

Nami was having a migraine and left the kitchen.

Sanji and Zoro claimed to want to fight ant the three young pirates and Franky were going to watch. Robin joined the audience and looked between Luffy and Zoro throughout the fight, which Zoro had won.

Luffy was the first to go up and congratulated the swordsman with his rubber ability inspired glomp, which the other caught and both spun around once before falling to the ground.

"Geez Luffy." Usopp said. "I know you're happy, but take it easy." But he was being ignored by the two, who were laughing.

The young captain had his arms around the swordsman's neck while the other was ruffling the black hair.

Everyone, except Robin, thought it was odd, but the older woman smiled, seeing how much closer they've become.

Once everything settled and Sanji was going to get cleaned up after the little fight, Usopp and Chopper asked both Luffy and Zoro if they want to play hide and seek. The young captain agreed in a heartbeat, making the first mate play as well. As the sniper counted down, Chopper quickly went one way while the other two went a different way, with the young man grabbing the other's wrist and leading them inside the ship.

"Wouldn't they be found if they're using the same hiding place?" Franky asked Robin, who just shrugged.

About fifteen minutes later, Usopp and Chopper, who was hiding in Nami's tangerine nursery, gave up finding Zoro and Luffy and asked everyone if they seen them.

"No." Franky said.

"Nope." Nami said.

"Sorry." Robin said.

"Like I give a damn." Sanji said as he made lunch.

The two looked for Robin and asked her if she could use her ability to find them. She agreed and did so.

She checked in all the rooms and in the storage room. Then she checked the only place that no one would think of looking, only to see something that would make her smile.

She shrugged at the two. "Sorry, I'm sure they'll come out soon." She said as the two were shocked.

"Zoro must've helped Luffy find a good spot!" Chopper said.

Usopp was throwing a mental fit at the thought of the two laughing at him right now!

Nami rolled her eyes as she looked at a catalog.

Robin however took another peek at the secret couple.

Zoro and Luffy were in some hidden compartment with minimum light, but enough to see that they were making out passionately as both of their shirts were off and were _very_ close.

She had to mentally squeal in delight to see that the two were together. "Theory confirmed." She said with a satisfied smile.

I hoped you enjoyed it everyone! I may post the new fic sometime later, so look out for it! R&R and thank you!


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